"Give it all you’ve got, We’ll play it fair and square, Fight with all your might, For victory is ours to share, Southeast Asia’s, Where we’re from, Brothers we are, We’re all just one."
Nieva, who owns the public relations and advertising company Perceptions, was tapped by Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose Cojuangco, Jr. to pen the lyrics for the music that Joe Mari Chan wrote.
It took Nieva only an hour to finish the words because he was inspired by the Games’ significance.
"I entitled it ‘We’re All Just One’ to express the unity of the Southeast Asian people since we really are just one basic race and one culture," said Nieva who also wrote the lyrics for "Biyahe Tayo" in line with the government’s domestic travel advocacy program. "But I also meant to address it to the Filipino people. For we seem today like a divided nation, torn apart by political, social and economic divisions."
Nieva said the underlying message in the song is if the Philippines is to progress, Filipinos must get their act together and be united as one.
"We, Filipinos, are even more just one for we belong not to one region with several other nations but we are just one nation and should therefore act by consensus and rule of the majority which should be the case in a democracy," he continued.
"As it is, the noisy and PR-savvy minority politicians and vested interest groups are nearly dictating the agenda of the country and getting wide coverage from a media that thrives on negative and sensational reporting."
Nieva said writing the SEA Games song took a different approach from composing "Biyahe Tayo."
"For ‘Biyahe Tayo,’ I did the poem or lyrics first and the music came in later," he said. "I wrote ‘Biyahe’ in Taglish while this one, I had to write in English so as to be understood by the SEA Games participants from the other countries. It took me about two months, on and off, to write ‘Biyahe.’ "
The SEA Games theme song is now being aired on TV and radio.
Aside from the spirit of sportsmanship, the song also promotes the Philippines as the host country.
"Welcome all to our country, See it in all its beauty, And meet our friendly people, And enjoy, Southeast Asia’s, Where we’re from, Brothers we are, We’re all just one."
As a companion piece to the song, Nieva wrote a poem to encourage and inspire Filipino athletes to excel during the Games.
"I hope that the poem not only inspires our athletes but all our countrymen into doing their best as we are among the best in the world in so many fields," said Nieva. "Yet, we seem still not conscious much less proud of the fact and consequently, do not give our very best in our work or sports or whatever."
The poem is in Filipino and entitled "Kapatid Ipakita Mo."
Excerpts:
"Huwag kang matakot, Sa iyong anino, Huwag kang masindak, Kahit na kanino.
"Sa liksi at husay, Sa lakas at tibay, Ay walang kapantay, Ang Pinoy at Pinay.
‘Kapatid ipakita mo, Sa bansa at buong mundo, Ang tapang at galing, Nating mga Pilipino.
"Lumaban ng husto, Bumanat ng todo, Ibigay mong lahat, Ng makakaya mo.
"Huwag kang umurong, Huwag kang sumuko, Pag nabuwal ka’y, Agad kang tumayo.
"Pag-ikaw ay nagapi, Huwag magdalamhati, Kung ngayon ay nasawi, Bukas ay bumawi.
"At pag nagtagumpay, Sa bayan ialay, Bandila’y iwagayway, Isigaw ang Mabuhay."