Unity the message as SEAG opens
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Manila
The runup has not been smooth, but it was all right on the night as the 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games officially opened in Manila with a message of regional unity on Sunday.
The first day of competition also brought Indonesia its first gold medal, thanks to the men's and women's kumite teams competing in Cebu, one of five main venues around the Philippine archipelago for the 10-day Games.
The focus turned to Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park in the early evening, with fireworks lighting up the park and nearby Rizal Memorial Park, where many of the competitions are being held.
Former world men's singles champion Hendrawan, now a coach, was the flag bearer for the Indonesian contingent.
Representatives of the more than 5,000 athletes from 11 nations -- representing the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus Timor Leste -- filed into the stadium as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo did the honors.
A highlight was the parade of some of the great names in the host country's sporting history, including 1980s sprint queen Lydia de Vega, seven-time SEA Games swimming gold medalist Akiko Thomson and world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.
As is tradition, the organizers chose to accentuate the positive aspects of bringing the best athletes together from the region, especially after gripes about unfinished venues and heightened security fears.
"Welcome all the participants to the SEA Games. Enjoy the union. We are all brothers in the region," Jose Cojuangco, Jr, the president of the Philippines Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc), said in his address.
The message of brotherhood is also carried in the Games' theme of "One Heritage, One Southeast Asia".
Arroyo also called sports "a unifying element," saying it had the potential to bring peace to the region and to her divided nation, the Associated Press reported. Security was tightened with 17,000 security officers in Manila, said to safeguard the thousands of guests.
In a another gesture of unity, the president and leaders of the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were in attendance during the opening ceremony.
"This will show the world that we are for peace and the MILF's strong commitment to peace talks," MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu was quoted as saying in Sunday's Philippine Star.
As Arroyo declared the Games open, the chase for 439 gold, 439 silver and 590 bronze medals in 40 sports began. Vietnam won the overall medal standings in 2003 when it hosted the event, one of four of five host countries to achieve that feat since 1997.
However, a small portion of medals were distributed on Sunday with some sports already entering the final stage.
As of 9 p.m, 12 golds had been distributed, with Malaysia and the host vying for the top spot after good showings in athletics and dancesport.
However, the billiards and snooker competition had yet to send in their results while the finals in chess were delayed until Monday.
The Philippines took advantage of the debut of dancesport for a one-two finish in both Latin America and standard events. Athletics and diving won one gold apiece for the hosts.