It’s Showtime

Regional sports spectacle unwraps

 ‘’We Win As One” will be their battle cry in a fortnight of unrelenting action as the Filipinos put up a united front and chase golden dreams on home turf.

This also serves as a platform for those wanting to reach the next two levels – the Asian Games and then the Olympics.

But in the next fortnight, 5,864 athletes will slug it out in a duel of power, speed, endurance, wits, mental toughness and heart in various fronts for 530 golds in 56 sports with the same, singular mission – emerge as champions.

The Philippines emerged as overall champion when it hosted the biennial meet in 2005 and local officials are one in saying that today’s roster of athletes – all 1,081 of them – have the tools and materials and are all armed to the teeth to mix it up with the best of the rest and come out better and duplicate the “Miracle of 2005.”

With money the least of its concerns, the Philippine Sports Commission had put up a war chest of over P1 billion, easily the biggest ever amount earmarked for any local contingent for training and participation of the national athletes in various parts of the globe in search of the gold medals and the overall championship.

“Of course, we’ll target the overall title,” said PSC chair and chef de mission Butch Ramirez. “We’ve spent a lot of money for training and it’s only fair we aspire to become No. 1 again.”

The country indeed is putting its best foot forward not only to ensure a successful campaign but also guarantee a smooth, hassle-free staging of the biggest ever SEAG meet that will be unveiled tonight in grand, elaborate rites with the best boxer of his generation – together with a reigning women’s boxing champion – doing the honors of carrying the Games torch and lighting the cauldron that would officially mark the start of the 30th staging of the biennial meet.

That very symbol (cauldron), built to a staggering amount of P55 million, also sparked what would’ve been a wave of issues – ranging from transportation and accommodation woes of the athletes and delegates to food and even accreditation – that have marred the run-up to the Games and forced President Duterte no less to step in and put the issue to rest.

At least in the next two weeks.

Whatever, it sure will be one big extravaganza, one for the SEAG books.

The opening, fittingly staged as the country celebrates the National Heroes Day, will be held indoors for the first time in the event’s history – inside the vast 55,000-seater Philippine Arena with Manny Pacquiao and Nesthy Petecio carrying the torch and then lighting the cauldron.