Negros goes ga-ga over SEA Games

Manila writers seem to have resented the lack of advertising for the Southeast Asian Games in the Big City. And, of course, the lack of enthusiasm for the Games. Not in Bacolod and Cebu City, though. Here, everyone is enthusiastically looking forward to the Games.

But there were some last-minute attempts to torpedo the event. The first was the claim of Nguyen Hong Minh, head of the Vietnam delegation, who alleged in Thanh Niennews.com that a confidential meeting among SEAG member-delegations had distributed the medals of the Games, purportedly agreeing that the Philippines would net 120 to be able to grab the first place.

That story was picked up by a Manila daily and landed on the front page. But that got a rejoinder from Philippine SEAG Organizing Committee president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco as being a canard. Cojuangco expressed suspicion that it might just be a case of mirepresentation.

Rep. Monico Puentevella, head of BASOC, the local counterpart of the Philsoc, also dismissed it as preposterous. He pointed out that it is almost next to impossible to gather all the various delegations much less to discuss a plot of the kind alluded to in the article.

But the jarring story was the reported fielding of Sparrow hit squads by the NPA to assassinate prominent targets in Negros Occidental.

The story was released by Maj. Marianito Casabuena, Western Visayas chief of the Armed Forces’ Civil Relations Group. This landed on the front page of the Visayan Daily STAR and could raise anxieties among visitors to the SEA Games, especially the foreign delegations.

Just a few days ago, PNP Deputy Director General Avelino Razon, overall SEA Games security chief, expressed satisfaction with the security arrangements here among the PNP, the RMG and the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade. He even lauded the dry run staged by local security forces on how to cope with contingencies.

Casabuena’s news release pointed out further that not only key government officials have been targeted, but also media personalities perceived to be counter-revolutionaries.

But Senior Superintendent Charles Calima, provincial PNP director, said he has to check the veracity of the report and the reliability of the military informant.

Casabuena told local media that two squads of Panay-based Sparrows, composed of seven to nine members each, are headed by Ka Moroy. They were reportedly dispatched to Bacolod.

Although apparently not intended to disturb the SEA Games, that piece of news coming on the eve of the SEAG’s opening rites makes a lot of people jittery.

Opening rites sked

Of course, there are a lot of big stories in Western Visayas. But still the top attraction remains the SEA Games. For the moment, the major story remains the opening rites scheduled this afternoon at the Panaad Park and Stadium.

However, there was a sideline interest in the fielding of sprinter Rogie Ferrer Pell who will pass the torch to the delegates of 10 other countries competing in the SEAG.

Rogie, as she is better known among Negrenses, took time out last Thursday to practice her assigned task at the Panaad. That delighted a lot of fans for whom Rogie remains a byword in sprints.

A native of Cauayan in southern Negros Occidental, Rogie earned silver medals during the 1954 SEAG held in the Philippines and in 1958 in Tokyo, Japan. These were for the 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter relay events.

Rogie explained that she was invited to lead the torch run by Rep. Puentevella. She is married to Michael Pell and is now based in the Bay Area in San Francisco, California. She was a former student of the Negros Occidental High School.

Although much older now than she was at the prime of her life, Rogie remains slim and still displayed the stamina that earned her the toast of Negrenses in her prime.

She said her participation in the 23rd SEA Games opening in Bacolod is just like "basking in the glory of the past."

Delegates start swarming in

Last Thursday night, Bacolod rolled out the red carpet for the initial wave of foreign athletes seeing action in the 23rd SEA Games from Nov. 20 to Dec. 5.

Last Tuesday, the men’s football delegations of Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia and the Malaysian medical staff planed in and were greeted at the Bacolod Airport by City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Rep. Puentevella.

The delegates were given their first glimpse of forthcoming cultural presentations by the Masskara dancers at the tarmac.

Bacolod has been reputed as the City of Smiles. Everybody is smiling here, commented Graito Usodo, chairman of the Indonesia’s media relations commission.

Yesterday, four football teams — Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia — were expected to arrive.

Defending champion Thailand is expected to come in today.

Vietnam’s Australian coach Alfred Rled said the Philippine men’s football team is among the top contenders for the SEA Games crown. This was supported by Johnny Romualdez, Philippine football team president, who said the inclusion of Fil-Britons Phil and Games Younghusband has boosted the team’s stock.

Side issue

Actually a minor issue surfaced two days ago. This was the charging of entrance fees for the men’s football competition at the Panaad Park and Stadium.

Rep. Charlie Cojuangco (fourth district), head of the local football league, has advocated for the paring down of ticket prices to give more fans the chance to witness the games. Even Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon admitted that he was surprised to know that the BASOC was charging entrance fees for the events.

But he added that while the BASOC may have their reasons for it, he did not expect the spectators to be charged to enter the stadium since the provincial government did not charge the BASOC for the use of the sports facility.

Another venue of the football games is the Paglaum Sports Complex.

One heritage, one Southeast Asia

With that theme, the SEA Games this year will be symbolized by the mask logo to accent that the friendly competition will strengthen the brotherhood and unity among the participants.

Director Rudy Reveche and his associate, Tam Lopez, have come up with a presentation that inculcates the melding of the different countries’ cultures.

Reveche said the idea for the presentation is going back to Nature. "We want to highlight the different sports events but we also want to stir up environmental awareness among the people," he said.

The predominant material will be bamboo, which is common in the region. The team also stressed that there was no need for high-tech gadgets and special effects to come up with an international caliber presentation.

More than 600 talents will perform, including the Kabataang Rondalla of Silay City and the globally renowned Kaanyag Pilipinas Dance Company.

The West Negros College Rondalla, under the baton of Ogger Anao, will play the National Anthem, while the Don Salvador Aeta community will also participate in the opening rites. The 2005 Masskara street dancers, to be choreographed by Jess Segudo Cabalcar, will perform to the rhythm of the Negros Drumbeaters.

Vice President Noli de Castro will officially open the rites. He will also lead the ceremonial kickoff of the football games, along with Gov. Marañon, Rep. Puentevella and Mayor Leonardia.

All hotels and pension houses as well as inns in the city have already been booked. And thousands more are expected to swell the crowd when the games actually start on Nov. 23.

Kabayao Foundation play

Today will be the final day of the Gilopez Kabayao Foundation Inc.’s theater offering, Anatomiya ng Korupsyon. The play has been drawing big groups of Ilonggos to the St. Anne’s Hall in the Assumption College since it began last Nov. 16.

During the opening presentation, the foundation invited students from seven national high schools.

The plot revolves around the day-to-day activities of a family court in Manila where lawyers and office workers go about a system they have used as a means of earning extra pesos to augment their salaries. Each character tries to justify the system as acceptable.

Cely, a single, idealistic lawyer, comes in as a model of honesty and dignity in the office. Her desire to do a good job of settling family disputes is opposed by her fellow employees. In the end, she is caught between her principles and the bandwagon. Cely has to make a decision. But that is something which the play leaves to the audience to decide.

For one, the play pricks the conscience of the audience. And it is supposed to help people learn more about corruption and morality.

Kudos to the Kabayao Foundation.