Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Something doesn’t quite add up with the Southeast Asian Games cauldron — and it’s not even its P56 million price tag.
The controversial cauldron, where the SEA Games flame will be lit to signal the start of the competitions, is located at the spanking new New Clark City (NCC) track and field stadium in Tarlac.
But the opening ceremony will be at Philippine Arena in Marilao, Bulacan, some 90 kilometers away.
Deputy chief of mission for Team Philippines Stephen Fernandez, Olympic bronze medalist for taekwondo, said he is also perplexed by it, considering that the lighting of the cauldron is the main event for every Games opening rites.
Philippine Olympic Committee executive board member Steve Hontiveros, long-time bowling chief and now head of handball, speculated that “it would probably brought in by chopper.”
Some sports fans are even suggesting that the huge budget allotted to the Games has allowed the country to build a teleportation device that would beam torch-bearer and world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo from Philippine Arena to NCC.
Fernandez and Hontiveros said they haven’t gotten wind of the opening ceremony program which is slated on Nov. 30 and thus could not clarify the logistical puzzle.
And that is because Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) was keeping the plans close to its chest.
Phisgoc chief executive officer Ramon “Tats” Suzara said there’s a reason the cauldron is far from the opening venue—but “it’s a secret.”
The details of the opening ceremony, according to Suzara, will be disclosed much, much later in order to generate surprise and awe for the thousands of spectators expected to watch the opening live or on TV.
“It’s all under wraps. We want it to be exciting,” Suzara told the Inquirer.
“We don’t want to tell right away what these personalities like Manny Pacquiao will do in the opening ceremony,” he added.
The cauldron first came under fire for its price tag and then made social media rounds again when netizens pointed out—and questioned—its distance from the site of the opening ceremonies.
The question on how the cauldron will be lit during the opening ceremonies has generated several responses ranging from humorous to acerbic, and Phisgoc hopes the rants will end when the glitzy opening party kicks off.
Suzara added that the organisers are no longer affected by the criticisms they get, especially regarding the budget.
“We don’t read it anymore,” said Suzara. “The important thing for is to make sure we deliver.”