(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte proudly waved and cheered as he and Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah watched the spectacular opening ceremonies of the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the 55,000-seater Philippine Arena on Saturday, Nov. 30.
With spectators from the 11 participating nations, the historic opening ceremonies showcased dazzling performances, including cultural dances and songs featuring the best of the Philippine culture with the thematic thread of inclusivity, “We Win as One.”
The audience witnessed the parade of around 8,750 athletes from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor Leste, Singapore, and Vietnam.
The 74-year old Philippine leader declared the games open after the inspired performances of dances and songs from the country’s best artists and performers.
“I declare open the Southeast Asian games for the 30th time, celebrating the games of Southeast Asia. Mabuhay kayong lahat!” he said.
-We work as one, we win as one-
Before this, Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) chairperson and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano thanked President Duterte for his vision and for believing that the country could host the biggest SEA games with just a preparation time of 18 months.
“Today, we stand tall and tell the world that in Southeast Asia, we are passionate, we are ready to make sacrifices. We are disciplined and we are believers in teamwork, and we believe that everyone deserves our respect,” Cayetano said.
He noted the diversity of Southeast Asian nations, and their love of God.
“We love God. We love our community. We love our Southeast Asian brothers and sisters and through that love, we pray as one, we build as one, we work as one, and we win as one,” Cayetano said.
He also thanked Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo during his speech.
The Philippine Arena, considered as the world’s largest mixed use indoor arena, is one of the centennial projects of the INC built in time for its 100th anniversary last July 27, 2014.
-Proud to be Filipino-
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham Tolentino said that all those who have made the SEA Games events possible, including the opening ceremonies at the Philippine Arena, are “now part of history.”
“You have all made our country proud. Now, more than ever, I am so proud of being a Filipino,” he said as he recalled the hard work and efforts of mounting the SEA Games in just over a year’s time.
Tolentino said that this was a “defining moment of the Philippines as we showcase the best that the Philippines can offer, to show the world a new face of the Philippines.”
“After 14 years, we are again hosting the SEA Games. The long wait is over. With the unwavering support of President Rodrigo Duterte, we are now opening the best and the biggest SEA games in history,” he said.
The opening rites also showed the simultaneous lighting of the cauldron by Filipino boxing champions Emmanuel Pacquiao and Nesthy Petecio at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
The lighting of the cauldron was one of the highlights of the SEA Games opening.
The spectacular performances during the opening ceremonies with light and digital showcases at the world-class Philippine Arena were a first in SEA Games history.
The audience applauded every performance which leveled up the bar of SEA games opening.
Some of the country’s top-notch artists gave inspired and moving performances, including those from Allan Pineda more popularly known as Apol de Ap whose roots are from Pampanga, Lani Misalucha, Christian Bautista, Aicelle Santos, Jed Madela, Elmo Magalona, KZ Tandingan, Iñigo Pascual, the TNT Boys, Ana Fegi, and Robert Seña.
There were four main categories of Philippine culture which were tackled in the SEA Games opening ceremonies: indigenous, Hispanic, folk, and contemporary street and pop culture.
Hundreds of members of folk dance company Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, including college students from different schools in Metro Manila, also performed various dances of several ethnic groups from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
-PHL sports legends at the SEA Games opening-
The legends of Philippine sports who won medals in previous SEA Games also took part in the opening ceremonies at the Philippine Arena as the bearers of the SEA Games flag. They are Lydia de Vega, dubbed as Asia’s fastest woman; swimmers Akiko Thompson Guevarra and Eric Buhainl basketball star Alvin Patrimonio; bowler Bong Coo; billiards champ Efren Bata Reyes; boxer Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco; and six-time bowling world champion Paeng Nepomuceno
This is the fourth time that the Philippines hosted the SEA Games. The country hosted the games in 1981,1991, and 2005.
This is also the biggest SEA Games so far, with 530 sporting events held in 6 provinces and mega cities and a total of 530 gold medals at stake. The opening ceremonies held at the Philippine Arena were also the first to be held indoors in the SEA Games’ history.
The 30th SEA Games will take place from November 30 to December 11 at the newly-built Clark City Sports Hub in Capas, Tarlac; Subic, Zambales; Laguna; Batangas; Tagaytay; Imus, Cavite; and the newly-renovated Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Metro Manila.
The Philippines has the biggest delegation in the 30th edition of SEA Games, fielding 1,115 athletes and 753 coaches and officials with hopes of landing in the top three among the 11 participating nations.
