MANILA, Philippines — Hinikayat ni Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez ang mahigit 1,115 atletang Pinoy na angkinin ang overall championship sa 30th Southeast Asian Games na pormal ng mag-sisimula bukas sa Philippine Arena sa Bocaue, Bulacan.
“Go for the golds as if your life depended on them and an entire nation will be grateful. Let’s bring good news to everyone. We need it, all Filipinos need it,” pananawagan ni Ramirez sa mga atleta na sasabak sa SEA Games.
Si Ramirez din ang Chef de Mission ng Team Philippines sa 2019 SEA Games.
“The Government has been very supportive of our national athletes. And it’s high time that such support gets the results expected from the athletes’ all-out campaign in the SEA Games. We expect nothing less than a 100 percent effort from our national athletes in front of their fellow Filipinos, who I am very sure, will come out in droves to support them.”
Bilang host ng biennial Games, ipaparada ng Team Philippines ang 1,115 atleta, 753 coaches at mga opisyales para sa kabuuang 1,868 delegation, ang pinakamarami sa 2019 edisyon at pinakamarami simula ng sumali ang Pilipinas sa SEA Games noong 1977.
Target ng Team Philippines na dominahin ang kabuuang nakatayang 530 gintong medalya mula sa 56 sports disciplines sa mahigit na 44 venues sa New Clark City, Metro Manila, Subic, Southern Luzon at Tagaytay City.
Ito na ang ika-apat na hosting ng bansa sa SEAG, ang una ay noong 1981 at sinundan noong 1991.
Sa unang pagkakataon nakamit ng Pilipinas ang overall championship nang idaos dito ang multi-event meet noong 2005 sa kabuuang 113 golds, 84 silvers at 94 bronzes.