Hotel management clarifies SEA Games footballers’ kikiam breakfast controversy

MANILA, Philippines – The management of a  hotel hosting members of the Philippine women’s football team competing in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games clarified that the athletes were served chicken sausage as part of a breakfast buffet, contrary to earlier claims that they had “kikiam,” rice and egg.

In a letter addressed to SEA Games Team Philippines chef de mission William Ramirez dated November 25, the Whitewoods Convention and Leisure Hotel said that they have proof that the athletes were served chicken sausage.

“The other Pinoy athletes also know that they ate Chicken Sausage,” hotel president and CEO Edgardo Capulong said.

The letter also read that “kikiam” is not part of the hotel’s menu and that the food they have prepared went through strict scrutiny of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) Food Audit Team.

In a follow-up statement released through its Facebook page, the hotel further explained that the chicken sausage was part of a wider menu which included an omelet station, other assorted sausages, fruits, fresh fruit juices, bread, and rice.

“Our food serving is generous because we decided a free and open buffet service complete with egg omelet station that is not part of our contract.”

The hotel’s statement comes after the coach of the Philippine women’s football team, Let Dimzon, rued that her team was served kikiam, along with rice and egg, for breakfast.

Capulong also lamented how the football team brought “lechon” for dinner without coordinating with the Sea Games food audit committee, which, he said, was a violation of an agreement that no oil and pork products be served.

Capulong also expressed his disappointment over the actions of the athletes, citing one instance where a member of the football team, Hali Long aired her frustrations directly to social media.

“Honestly, we regret that this athlete did not direct the concern to the management or to your duly appointed facilitator, but resorted immediately to clicking to Facebook which went viral very fast,” Capulong wrote.

He added that that the hotel was “so sad” because the country’s representatives are the “very first one to destroy our dignity as Filipinos.”

“We are so sad because our very own Pinoy athletes are the very first ones to destroy our dignity as Filipinos. Where is our sense of nationalism? What is the point of winning gold for our country if we recklessly destroy other people and our honor as a nation and the Philippine Sports Commission? All our efforts and undertaking will be in vain because of a few careless, insensitive athletes of our are spreading wrong information,” read Capulong’s letter.

“May this be a lesson to be included in the future formation of our athletes,” he added.

GSG