TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
SEA Games start amid glitches, typhoon threat
Change Size
Indonesian U-22 player Egy Maulana Vikri (left) vies for the ball with Singaporean player Muhammad Syahrul bin Sazali during the 2019 Philippines SEA Games, at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila on Thursday, where Indonesia won 2-0. It was Indonesia's second game after defeating Thailand also 2-0 in the opener two days ago. (Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)
T
he latest warning for Typhoon Kammuri and reports that around 3,000 people were moved to safety have colored the second day of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, which officially kicked off on Saturday night.
The much-anticipated opening ceremony, held at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, featured elaborate traditional dances that displayed what organizers described as Ugat ng Ating Lakas (The Roots of Our Strength), which was also the event’s theme.
Officiating the ceremony, President Rodrigo Duterte welcomed athletes and officials from participating countries and wished them the best of luck in the region’s biggest sporting event.
“The 30th edition of 2019 SEA Games is hereby officially commenced, mabuhay kayong lahat [long live all of you],” said Duterte, who was later seen with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam at the VVIP lane.
Alongside the Philippines’ contingent, Duterte seemed to be the star of the evening as the crowd cheered every time his name was mentioned inside the stadium, which has a capacity of 55,000 seats.
The opening ceremony was concluded by Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao and junior boxer Nesty Petecio, who lit up a cauldron with the event’s theme song blaring through the venue.
After the show, 63-year-old Philippine native Andy Inot said he was pleased with the opening show as it made him proud to be a Filipino.
