PSC drums up Philippine campaign in SEAG

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will kick off a major campaign to drum up the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games in November and further boost the morale of Filipino athletes out to retain the overall championship in the biennial event.

Chairman William Ramirez of the PSC on Wednesday said a gathering will be held Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial baseball field. The campaign is dubbed “Go! Pilipinas Go!”

“As chairman of the PSC it is my job to raise the spirit of the Filipino athletes,” said Ramirez, who is acting on the directive from Malacanang.

“I have the order from the Executive Secretary (Salvador Medialdea) to ‘Please help the SEA Games.’ It is part of our mandate. We want to win the overall crown,” he said.

Ramirez said Tuesday’s event, scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m., will be graced by athletes and coaches from the national pool.

Heroes of past SEA Games, Asian Games and Olympics will be present to boost the morale of the SEA Games competitors — from Lydia de Vega-Mercado to Eric Buhain, Bong Coo, Onyok Velasco, Carlos Yulo, Hildilyn Diaz, Yuka Saso and Margielyn Didal.

Rep. Monsour del Rosario, the chef-de-mission of the Philippine SEA Games delegation, will deliver a message before the athletes.

Ramirez said President Duterte will be invited to grace the event as well as Medialdea, Sports Adviser Dennis Uy, Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee head Alan Peter Cayetano, Philippine Olympic Committee president Ricky Vargas, the heads of the different NSAs (national sports associations), Philippine Olympian Association and representatives from DEPEd, CHED, Philippine National Police, Pagcor, and the National Youth Commission.

“This is an activity which the PSC is undertaking to help drum up the SEA Games. We want to inspire our athletes to perform well in the SEA Games and onwards to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Asian Games,” said Ramirez.

“We also want to inspire everybody. This is the very heart of Go! Pilipinas Go!” Ramirez said.

To lighten up the evening, there will be live band performances and raffles for the athletes and coaches. The event is open to the public.