First Gent most visible official of RP contingent

If you’re trying to set an appointment with the First Gentleman within the week, forget it.

The First Gentleman, you see, will be a very busy man. He’ll be very busy playing his role as chef-de-mission of the RP contingent in the 23rd SEA Games.

The biennial event, which started as early as last week but was formally opened only yesterday, will last until Dec. 5.

There are 439 gold medals to be disputed in 40 sports scattered in almost the same number of venues in Metro Manila, Tagaytay, Laguna, Pampanga, Zambales, Bacolod and Cebu.

"I’ll try to go to as many games as possible," said the First Gentleman yesterday morning as he watched Maristella Torres rule the women’s long jump at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

It was the first gold for the Philippines in this year’s SEA Games. And there should be a lot more to come since local officials have predicted a gold haul of close to a hundred.

"I’ll be moving around. Even those in Bacolod, Cebu or Tagaytay I‚ll try to see," added Arroyo who stayed at the stadium for nearly two hours watching Torres and other RP track bets compete.

From the stadium, the First Gentleman said he was to hear Sunday mass then host lunch for visiting officials from the Chinese Sports Ministry at Malacanang.

"The Chinese helped us a lot in the training of our SEA Games athletes. I will host lunch for them," said the First Gentleman, who watched from the stands with national training director Mike Keon.

"There’s so much goodwill in sports so we should bank on this. There’s unity in sports. Nations come together for sports – every two years in the SEA Games, every four years in the Asian Games and Olympics.

"Athletes and officials come together. Sports brings unity to all nations. But I hope we get the gold. I hope we get the overall," he said.