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SEA Games: As hometown of arnis, host Philippines expects to outperform field

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/news/05/07/20190502-palaro-arnis-demo-2493-md.jpg"/><figcaption>As is tradition, countries that host the SEA Games have the privilege of adding events that promote their culture and, by extension, improve their odds of winning more gold. Arnis serves that purpose for the Philippines this year. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>Richardson Gialogo is ready to step down as the Philippines national head coach if his team doesn’t emerge No. 1 in this year’s Southeast Asian Games.It’s either he’s confident of his athletes’ chances or he understands that it’s unacceptable for the host country to lose out on its homegrown sport. Or both.“Sa tingin namin, makukuha natin ang overall championship sa arnis. Pag ‘di natin makukuha ang overall championship sa SEA Games, magre-resign ako,” he told ABS-CBN News on Friday on the sidelines of the 2019 Palarong Pambansa in Davao City.Twenty gold medals are at stake in arnis at the SEA Games, and the coach’s objective is to get more than half of the total.The Games run from November 30 to December 11.“Target natin kung championship, 10 plus 1 pero tayo ang gusto natin 15. Bonus na ’yun kung sakali,” he said.As is tradition, host countries have the privilege of adding events that promote their culture and, by extension, improve their odds of winning more gold.A martial art developed locally over the centuries, arnis was not played in the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur. It was last featured in the regional competition in 2005, the last time the Philippines hosted the Games. At that time, 6 gold medals were on offer, with the Philippines and Vietnam splitting them down the line.Arnis was introduced in the SEA Games in 1991 as a demonstration sport; the Philippines took home 11 of 16 gold available.For Al Pelgone, tournament manager for arnis at the Palaro, he likes the Filipinos’ chances in the SEA Games.“We can say that we are still the best because this is our own,” he said. -- With a report from Karl Cedrick Basco, ABS-CBN News(For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>).

So much so that Philippines national head coach Richardson Gialogo is putting his job on the line.

So much so that Philippines national head coach Richardson Gialogo is putting his job on the line.