SEAG a show of unity, force for RP

With P640 million raised and almost the same amount expected to be generated towards year-end, the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc) is confident the country’s hosting of the 23rd SEA Games will not only be a huge success in terms of organization but could also pave the way for the country’s emergence as the region’s No. 1 sporting power.

"We’ll show them how united we are and, of course, we will win," said First Gentleman Atty. Mike Arroyo during yesterday’s launching of the event, slated Nov. 27-Dec. 5 in various venues in Luzon and Visayas, at the Dragon Gate restaurant on Roxas Blvd.

As head of the "Medalyang Ginto Pinoy May Laban Tayo" program, Mr. Arroyo is very much involved in the mobilization of resources for the SEA Games, particularly with regard to financing the training of the Filipino athletes through the "Godfather" system.

In a rare show of unity and solidarity, Mr. Arroyo was joined in the launch by the country’s top sports officials, including Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco, whose task is to take care of the training of the athletes for the 11-nation sports meet.

"Just as the Bayanihan spirit saw many Filipino communities through hard times and great challenge, so will the bayani in all of us today see us through this challenge of hosting the 23rd SEAG," said Cojuangco, also the equestrian chief and former Tarlac Representative.

"We did quite well the last time we hosted the Games which was 14 years ago. So there is no reason we can’t do as well this year. And together we will strive to do even better. We can and we will," he added.

The venues for the 41 sports and 395 events were also announced.

For his part, Philsoc chair Roberto "Obet" Pagdanganan said they have already raised a total of P640 million — P300 million from the government and the rest from the private sector. However, Philsoc is also expecting to raise another P300 million by mid-June and P300 million more in mid-August that will hike their budget total to P1.2 billion, or more than their original budget projection worth about P1 billion.

"Today, we launched the final preparations for the 23rd SEAG and for this rare but welcome opportunity we thank Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the unswerving trust and confidence," said Pagdanganan.

He added: "We also thank the First Gentleman for his support and for responding for our athletes’ needs, as well as to our sponsors from the government and business sectors for their meaningful contributions."

Of the P1.2 billion, Pagdanganan said 30 percent will go to infrastructure or renovations which started with the construction of a new site for shooting in Muntinlupa City initiated by shooting’s Art Macapagal.

"And this amount is just five percent of what Vietnam spent when they hosted the SEAG in 2003, so we’re really saving a lot of money here," Pagdanganan explained.

Philippine Sports Commission OIC Butch Ramirez said the sports agency has already started doing minor repairs of some sports facilities like the tennis courts at the Rizal Memorial Complex and the Velodrome at the Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City despite the budgetary constraints and minimal time.

Preparations for the games have been beset by problems with fund lack, construction delays and the pressures of shouldering a massive security operation.

"The time has come again when the Filipino as a people and as a nation is being challenged and measured. The Filipino continues to dream and hope for the first elusive Olympic gold medal as envisioned by President Arroyo," said Cojuangco.

"The President and the First Gentleman, the POC, the heads of the various NSAs (national sports associations), our legislators, and specially our athletes must work together as one strong united and disciplined Team Philippines," said Ramirez.

In the same gather, the Philsoc also unveiled the Games’ official beat, face and its new mascot – the Philippine eagle – following the signing of the seal of commitment by Atty. Arroyo, Pagdanganan, Cojuangco and Ramirez.

The song, entitled "We’re All Just One," was sang by Jose Mari Chan and written by Rene Nieva while the Games’ face and mascot was designed by Campaigns Philippines.

It marked the fifth time that the Philsoc launched the 2005 SEAG, the first being in 2003 after the Hanoi edition, in 2004 when President Arroyo officially accepted the country’s hosting of the Games, in mid-2004 when the Philsoc, then under former POC head Celso Dayrit, unveiled the games’ logo and mascot—then the tarsier—and, late last year before the POC election won by Cojuangco.

Over 300 sports personalities attended the event, including former POC chief Celso Dayrit, athletics chief Go Teng Kok, former swimmer Akiko Thompson and 2002 Busan Asian Games equestrian gold medalist Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski.

Senator Dick Gordon, who recently blasted the Philsoc for its failure to generate interest for the Games, was also present along with some Representatives Monico Puentevella of Bacolod and House Committee on Youth and Sports chair Renato Unico of Camarines Norte.

Also gracing the event and pledging their support to the SEA Games effort were Sen. Ramon Magsaysay, party list Rep. Florencio Noel, Chairman of the National Youth Commission Bambam Aquino, former First Lady Amelita Ramos, Undersecretary of Tourism Cynthia Carreon, International Olympic Committee representative Frank Elizalde, PSC commissioners Leon Montemayor, Ambrosio de Luna and Joey Mundo, Philsoc secretary-general Steve Hontiveros and deputy Jun-Jun Capistrano, POC media bureau chief Joey Romasanta, Undersecretary Ricardo Alfonso of the Department of Transportation and Communications and Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp. chairman Ephraim Genuino.