DUTERTE TO ATHLETES: NATION’S BEHIND YOU
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Roa Duterte believes all the 656 Filipino athletes would deliver big time in the Vietnam 31st Southeast Asian Games that kick off with the opening ceremony on May 12.
Duterte said in a video sendoff greeting on Monday evening that he’s confident that the national athletes led by the country’s first Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz “will bring home glorious accomplishments for the Filipino people.”
“My warmest greetings to the members of the Philippine delegation for the 31st Southeast Asian Games. As you represent our country in one of the most anticipated sports events in our region, I want you to know the Filipino nation is deeply rooting for you,” Duterte said.
Under Duterte’s administration and through the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) headed by Rep.
Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and the Philippine Sports Commission chaired by William “Butch” Ramirez, the country achieved glorious moments in the Jakarta 19th Asian Games in 2019, the Philippines 30th SEA Games in 2019 and most notably in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics that was played last year.
Filipino athletes won four gold medals, two silvers and 15 bronze medals in the Jakarta Asian Games and bagged the overall title in the 2019 SEA Games with a 149-117-121 gold-silver-bronze medal haul.
Diaz then ended the country’s 97-year Olympic gold medal drought by winning a women’s weightlifting gold medal—a fitting followup to the silver she won in the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016, Duterte’s first year as president.
Besides Diaz, boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam bagged silver medals and Eumir Felix Marcial clinched a bronze in the Tokyo Olympics last July.
“Given the training and preparations you have all undergone, I am very confident that you will be able to make the Filipino nation truly proud,” Duterte said. “All the best as we send you off in the 31st Southeast Asian Games. Long live the Filipino athletes.”
Tolentino, also the Philcycling chief, thanked Duterte for providing huge support to the Filipino athletes and boosting their morale since the time he became President six years ago.
“I am very thankful that he [Duterte] never forgets our athletes since day one, our athletes who gave pride and honor to our country during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games and our athletes who brought medals during the Tokyo Olympics despite these trying times,” Tolentino said, adding that the Filipino athletes will be a “fighting team” in Hanoi.
The Philippines will participate in 38 of 40 sports—526 events—in the Vietnam SEA Games.
Team Philippines will leave in batches with the main bulk expected to fly to Hanoi on May 10.
Asian men’s pole vault record holder Ernest John “EJ” Obiena is the flag bearer during the opening ceremony.