Inspiring
The SEA Games have officially started. The opening ceremony took place at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan last November 30. It was a beautiful ceremony where various Filipino cultures were highlighted. The event was well-funded based on the number of performers, costumes, and production value, with a famous director calling the shots. Popular singers also took part in the opening. The guest nation's delegates were ushered in by Filipino beauty queens. Selfies were not lost on foreign delegates, taking every picture and video to surely upload on social media. But as the show progressed, the stars of the evening --the country's athletes-- marched to Hotdog's "Manila". The audience made sure who they were rooting for. I'm sure everyone watching at home did the same.
The controversial cauldron at New Clark City was lit but was later revealed to have been recorded earlier. In other words, it was not live when shown on TV. The organizers cited the unpredictable weather as the reason for holding it much earlier but were not forthcoming when initially asked by the media. The beautiful fireworks display promptly followed, which was also taped. I breathed a sigh of relief when everything went without a hitch, compared to the earlier snafus as the foreign delegates arrived.
The use of the song "Manila" has also become something of an issue by Davao City mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte who questioned its use as being non-inclusive and not representing the whole country. I don't know but when one hears “Manila,” the Philippines comes to mind quickly, right? It's also quite easy to sing. Is there a song about Davao City or any other city that was not used instead? An official of the organizing committee and the director defended the use of "Manila" at the ceremony, claiming it was not exclusive as the whole show represented the varied cultures of the country. I did not see a jeepney which is iconic in Manila. I believe the ceremony seen by the region and the rest of the world will show the Philippines can be a good, capable host of the SEA Games. Maybe the Asian Games can be next? By then someone could compose a song that would make everyone happy and not feel left out.
The early success of our athletes at the games is also amazing. Hidilyn Diaz has once again delivered with a gold medal performance in weightlifting. Carlos Yulo will now become a household name because of his stellar performances in gymnastics. Many more athletes will be recognized for their outstanding performance. The country has already surpassed its gold medal tally in the last SEA Games of 2017, and there are still more events to take place. Our athletes seem to be inspired. Good. I hope those aspiring to become world-class athletes also become inspired by training hard. Hopefully, the games will generate the much-needed support for our athletes from all sectors, training for the next SEA Games in 2021 to be held in Vietnam and the Asian Games to be held in China in 2022. I hope the Filipinos continue to be faster and stronger! Not even typhoon Tisoy will stop the strong showing of our athletes!
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