SEAGAMES OPENING. Governor Susan Yap with her daughter-in-law Melissa Yeung-Yap during the opening of the SEA Games at the Philippine Arena.
THE Province of Tarlac was well represented during the opening of the South East Asian [SEA] Games opening held at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, November 30 as Governor Susan Yap led a contingent of Tarlaqueños in witnessing the once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.
The grandeur opening ceremonies saw the parade of the 11 participating countries Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam and the Philippines which, as expected, got the loudest cheers from the 55,000 crowd inside the arena.
Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee Chairman House Speaker Peter Allan Cayetano welcomed the participants while Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte opened the games.
In an interview, Yap said that the SEA Games opening is comparable to an Olympic opening and that Filipinos should be proud of its hosting of the biennial meet.
“The opening was very magnificent. It can be compared to an Olympic games opening…all Filipinos should be proud of the games,” Yap said.
The indoor opening was a first in the history of the SEA Games.
Tarlac province will be the main hub of the SEA Games as it will host the athletic competition, water polo, diving and swimming at the Olympic standard New Clark City [NCC] sport facilities and golf at the Luisita Golf and Country Club.
“The facilities at the NCC are world class and Tarlac province is expecting an economic boom not only during this SEA Games but beyond,” she said.
Provincial and local officials, as well as employees of the provincial government were present during the opening ceremonies that lasted to almost three hours.
The cauldron at the NCC was lit by sports icon and Senator Manny Pacquiao.
