PH athletes get send off for SEA Games

The Philippine delegation bound for 2017 Southeast Asian Games got a fitting send-off on Thursday night with 10 days to go before the opening of the regional games.

Philippine Sports Commission President Butch Ramirez led the ceremonies held at the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions in Pasay.

“You athletes are the heart and souls of this country,” said Ramirez.

“When you go there, don’t just go there for yourselves. Every single Filipino is cheering for you. The Filipinos are the pearls of the orient.”

Representatives of each sport for the SEA Games come up on stage. Photo by Bong Lozada/INQUIRER

The country is sending a 493-strong team to Kuala Lumpur in the hopes of fairing better this year than in the previous editions of the games.

Ramirez also reminisced on past Philippine athletes who won medals in the Olympics like Teofilo Yldefonso, Jose Villanueva, Roel Velasco, Mansueto Velasco, and Hidilyn Diaz.

The top sports official also prayed for the fast recovery of Olympian Ian Lariba, who is battling leukemia.

Philippine Olympic Committee President Peping Cojuangco also told the athletes to always embody the Filipino fighting spirit.

“Remember you’re always representing the Filipino people,” said Cojuangco. “The fighting heart and the fighting spirit is always there and the Filipino will never stop fighting. You are Filipinos, you are sportsmen, and you are full of guts.”