'Kikiam' served to Games athletes actually chicken sausage, hotel says
MANILA, Philippines — The management of the hotel housing women’s football teams denied serving “kikiam” to athletes competing in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
In a letter addressed to William Ramirez, Philippine chef de mission to the SEA Games, WhiteWoods Hotel disputed the claim of Let Dimzon, coach of the Philippine Women’s National Football Team, that the athletes were served kikiam.
Edgardo Capulong, president and chairman of the board of WhiteWoods Hotel, claimed the establishment never served kikiam—a snack and appetizer of Chinese origin— for breakfast.
“We have proof of this and the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee food audit team in the hotel that are on top of the food inspection during, before and after cooking and during meal time, can attest to the fact that it was not ‘kikiam,’” Capulong said, adding the hotel does not serve kikiam “because we do not have it and it is not in our menu.”
He said what the hotel served "in fact is actually chicken sausage."
Dimzon on Monday said the quality and quantity of food served at WhiteWoods “is not enough.”
“This morning, hindi enough yung rice, kikiam and eggs… walang nutrients,” she added.
Coaches from Malaysia and Myanmar also said the food was a main issue for them, with most of the dishes served were not fit for the diets of the athletes.
Capulong, however, said the food serving is “generous.” In a separate statement posted on the hotel’s Facebook page, the breakfast menu included an omelette station, assorted sausages, fruits, fruit juice, bread and rice.
‘Coach wasn’t there’
According to the hotel, Dimzon has “repeatedly” apologized to the staff and management for her comment but the statement had already gone viral before she could make corrections.
“This coach admitted that she was not present during the breakfast buffet. She saw the chicken sausage in a plastic container (which is not a hotel container, as we do not use plastic for packed meals) and assumed that this was the full breakfast meal,” WhiteWoods said.
The hotel management also took issue with the Philippine team bringing Baliwag Lechon into the hotel for dinner without coordination.
“[This] is a clear violation of our agreement that no oil, pork be served due to the sensitivity issue with our Muslim brothers or athletes. Besides, our function or dining hall is a certified ‘Halal friendly’ and we don’t want to have another complaint again especially from other foreign guests,” Capulong said.
Accommodations issue
Capulong also expressed disappointment at how a member of the Philippine team aired her grievances on social media.
“Honestly, we regret that this athlete did not direct the concern to the management or to your duly appointed facilitator but resorted to clicking her Facebook which went viral very fast,” Capulong said.
Malditas defender Hali Long recounted on Facebook how she waited more than two hours for their rooms to be prepared.
“We are so sad because our very own Pinoy athletes are the very first one to destroy our dignity as Filipinos. Where is our sense of nationalism? What is the point of winning gold for our country if we recklessly destroy other people and our honor as a nation and the Philippine Sports Commission as an institution,” Capulong said.
On Facebook, WhiteWoods said the delegation arrived earlier than check-in time and the management gave them the option to stay in an unairconditioned lobby or airconditioned conference room.
“They were able to check-in a little later than expected due to another athlete delegation’s late check-out by two hours. For this, we apologize and have taken measures to ensure that it does not happen again,” the hotel said.
Organizers of the biennial sports meet have been under fire for transportation and accommodation problems of arriving athletes and unfinished sports facilities just days before the competition starts.
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