Notes from Rio: Village ‘woes’ gone for Philippine bets

RIO DE JANEIRO – There are problems no more as far as the stay of the Filipino athletes and coaches in the Athletes Village here is concerned.  

Maintenance people came to their rescue the other day, and worked on the problems or whatever was not working in the Philippine quarters at the Athletes Village. On the night of their arrival from Manila Sunday, the Filipinos were greeted with leaking bathroom sinks and inadequate water pressure.

The problems are gone.

It took maintenance people no more than an hour to fix the problems in at least a couple of rooms occupied by Team Philippines.

The leaks are gone. Water pressure is strong.

The same, however, still cannot be said of other delegates. Still in the news are stories that the Australian team is staying out of the Athletes Village unless the toilet woes are properly or fully addressed.

“I have never experienced a village in this state – or lack of state – of readiness at this point in time,” said one of their athletes, who’s in her fifth Olympics.

She is not alone because the Italians are airing their own gripes.

An official of the Philippine delegation bared the solution to all the short-lived problems of the Pinoy delegation.

“Dried mangoes lang ang katapat (did it),” she said.

* * *

When the opening ceremony of the XXXI Summer Games is held on Aug 5 at the decades-old Maracana Stadium, don’t be surprised to find more officials than athletes waving the tiny Philippine flags during the parade of teams.

“It’s bound to happen,” said chef-de-mission Jose Romasanta.

With only a dozen athletes competing, it’s natural for them to be accompanied by coaches or trainers numbering at least half, and counting delegation officials, then the athletes are certainly to be outnumbered.

The Philippines is not among the super powers like the United States with 555 athletes or France with 404 or host Brazil with 465 athletes.

A number of Filipino athletes, at least four or five of them, are even skipping the parade. It’s either they have a competition scheduled the next day or two or they’re not in town yet.

Romasanta said only a handful athletes may join the parade for the Philippines, certainly outnumbered by officials, including their coaches.

“It’s not like the wives of sports officials are joining the parade,” said the chef-de-mission.