DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte took to Instagram on Sunday, December 1, to air her criticism of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee's (Phisgoc) decision to use the upbeat Hotdog song "Manila" during the opening of the games.
“Manila,” popularized by the band Hotdog, was written by Dennis Garcia and the late Rene Garcia, the brothers of Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) board chairman Greg Garcia.
The song describes how a man, who is now living in another country, is homesick for Manila, which he knows well and remembers fondly.
Taking the stand of those in Mindanao who felt the song was inappropriate as it was not representative of the entire country, Duterte said: “Didn't they carry the Philippine flag? Why would you play the song 'Manila?'"
The Presidential daughter even said Lapu-Lapu did not die for Manila alone.
"Wag po natin gawing excuse ang upbeat danceable song (Let's not use the excuse (that "Manila") is an upbeat danceable song)," she said. (READ: Manila Sound: The Hotdog classics)
Sara said the organizers should have been inclusive “when we want to encourage our countrymen to cheer.”
“Yes, I'm negative, why? I am a Filipino but I don't have one drop of Tagalog blood in me. Pure Vismin by birth and Ilocano by marriage,” she said, ending the post with the hashtag #bastabisayahilas.
Last week, the Presidential daughter also made a cryptic Instagram post indicating that she had advised somebody from Congress not to dip his hands into the games “but you did not listen.”
View this post on Instagram Di po ba Philippine flag ang dala? Why would you play the song Manila? Did Lapu-Lapu die for Manila? Wag po natin gawing excuse ang upbeat danceable song. Kami nagimbento ng budots. Kaloko man oie. We should be inclusive when we want to encourage our countrymen to cheer. Yes, nega ako, bakit? I am a Filipino but I don't have one drop of Tagalog blood in me. Pure Vismin by birth and Ilocano by marriage. #bastabisayahilas add na natin German American for the glam. A post shared by Sara Z. Duterte (@indaysaraduterte) on Nov 30, 2019 at 5:56pm PST
– Rappler.com
