Solons urge public to just enjoy ‘proudest moments’ of PH at SEA Games

MANILA, Philippines – Two lawmakers urged the public — who have bombarded social media with criticisms of the organizers’ handling of 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games — to just enjoy the events dubbed as Philippine sport’s “proudest moments.”

Valenzuela 2nd District Rep. Eric Martinez and PBA party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles said on Tuesday that the issues should not overshadow the supposed essence of the biennial tilt — which is to celebrate sports and the abilities of the Filipino athlete.

Martinez also implied that, because critics focused on the wrongs of the organizing committee, they did not get to enjoy how the Philippine Azkals, the country’s football team, managed to force Cambodia into a 1-1 draw after 18-year-old defender Dennis Chung volleyed in a goal in the dying minutes of the game.

“You’re missing the enjoyment guys, you’re missing it.  You’re missing how Dennis Chung delivered that goal for a draw. That was a thing of beauty, believe me,” Martinez told reporters in a press briefing at the House of Representatives.

“These are the proudest moments of Philippine sports that we are missing. So let’s give the games a break and give way for the athletes,” he added, speaking partly in Filipino.

Nograles meanwhile urged media to cover and highlight these events, instead of the criticisms that had become “politicized.”

“There are a lot of good things that are happening, and it’s nicer if we get to feature the glory, the glorious moments of the Filipino athletes and their achievements.  Sports should not be politicized. Unfortunately, the hosting is being politicized,” Nograles noted, speaking partly in Filipino.

“I think this is something we could celebrate and talk about, these extra-ordinary athletes. These are beautiful stories… Maybe that’s what we would ask from the media — to highlight the best moments of our athletes and to broadcast the schedule of games, especially the football games, to champion the heroes, the athletes,” he added.

Several issues started hounding the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) — the private arm tasked with organizing the games — starting with foreign athletes having had to wait for a long time before being ferried to their hotels.

It went downhill from that point — from lack of bottled water to inadequate food, unfinished sporting facilities, and incomplete hotel accommodations that forced guests to sleep on the carpet of hotel function rooms.

READ: SEA Games hosting starts on wrong foot

READ: Singapore latest to raise issue on SEA Games food, logistics

READ: PH SEA Games organizer sorry for transport, accommodation problems

Phisgoc, which is led by House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, already apologized for the mess, although several administration critics insisted that the games were starting to be a source of national embarrassment.

However, Martinez and Nograles — the House committee on youth development and sports’ chairperson and vice-chairperson, respectively — said that there was no need to probe the alleged irregularities for now.

But they also assured that they would investigate the issue if there would be a need to do so.

“We see that there were mistakes. Don’t worry. If those mistakes have to be investigated, whoever should be accountable will be [held] accountable,” Nograles said.

READ: Bayan: PH SEA Games hosting becoming ‘a national embarrassment’

READ: Lawmakers: No need for probe into SEA Games fiasco yet

/atm