As Games open, CDM exhorts country to back PH athletes

For most Filipino athletes in the 30th Southeast Asia Games, playing at home is a rare opportunity for them to reach their dreams.

Team Philippines chef de mission Butch Ramirez on Friday called for national unity as the country seeks to accomplish triumph with the national athletes when competitions in the Games officially get underway on Sunday.

“Let us keep in mind that for some of these athletes, sports is their path to a better life and escape the cycle of poverty and hopelessness. To all of them, this is their chance to reach their dreams.They all deserve our support,’’ said Ramirez.

“Let us unite for our nation. This is our own country. Can we just focus for the next 11 days to support our athletes in Team Philippines in the biggest fight of their lives, for honor and glory of our dear motherland?’’ added the Philippine Sports Commission chair.

The Games, featuring 56 sports and 8,544 athletes from 11 countries, will formally come off the wraps Saturday in an opening ceremony promised to be remembered at Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

From sixth overall in the 2017 edition in Kuala Lumpur, Team Philippines will attempt to leapfrog to the overall title as 1,115 Filipino athletes try their luck in all 530 events.

“When we all look back at this, may we all have the confidence to say that we gave our very best, as an athlete, as a worker or as a Filipino cheering on their kababayans. All for flag and country,’’ said Ramirez, who was also CDM when the country won its first and only overall title in the 2005 Manila Games.

Metro Manila and Southern Luzon will showcase 33 sports in various venues while Clark and Subic will play host to 19 and 17 sports, respectively, with New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, featuring centerpiece and medal-rich sports athletics and aquatics.

“Let us all enjoy this experience, for when will we ever have the Games visit us again? It is our chance to see high-level competition played within our backyard. So I enjoin all of you, get your flaglets waving and let us troop to the venues to show our support to our teams,’’ said Ramirez.

The organizational triumvirate of the PSC, the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) have poured everything needed and essential for the Games to be a huge success.

“Together with the POC and the Phisgoc, we are all working hard to support the athletes since we started last year,’’ said Ramirez.

“We may have different styles of management, but we have all resolved a long time ago to put all differences aside and move as one in the goal to deliver a good hosting and field a delegation that will really showcase our race of heroes,’’ added Ramirez.