JAKARTA – A logo for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games which the Philippines will host immediately copped flak online after it was presented to the Olympic Council of Asia general assembly on Sunday.
Speaking before the OCA general assembly, Foreign Affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said the 11 circles that formed to take the shape of the Philippine archipelago represent the Southeast Asian nations 'as one family.'
“Our logo will be the 11 circles representing the 11 countries bound together in the shape of the Philippines to symbolize that wherever and whenever the games are played, we are one and we will as one,” said Cayetano during his speech at the OCA general assembly.
Cayetano, who is the chairman of the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc), also presented the official mascot of the 2019 SEA Games named Fami, which he said again symbolizes the unity of the Southeast Asian nations.
“The mascot formed from the 11 circles is called Fami, which is short for family or pamilya to show that we are one family,” said Cayetano.
The logo, however, was met with negative comments as soon as the first photos from Cayetano's presentation were leaked on social media.
One Facebook user turned to an old nursery song to describe the logo.
'Small circle, small circle, big circle
Small circle, small circle, big circle...'
Others are less kind.
A statement issued by the social media and marketing team of Phisgoc on Monday bared the official release of the SEA Games logo will be on November 30.
“Pakisubaybayan natin sa Nov. 30 sa taong ding ito ang lahat ng kumpirmasyon. Ayon sa napiling ideya at interpretasyon ng committee, ang inilatag na logo, motto at mascot ay hango sa pagbubuklod-buklod bilang isang pamilya. Ang inyong mga ibinahagi namang imahe at suhestiyon ay nai-sumite sa kanila noon pa man at inireview.
“Patuloy pa rin po nating gagamitin ang mga imahe mula sa ating mga mahuhusay na miyembro na nais ibahagi ng mas malawak at magandang interpretasyon sa pagpapakilala ng bansa sa rehiyon, hanggang sa makupirma ang opisyal na mga simbolo sa darating na Nov. 30. Mabuhay po kayo! Maraming salamat po,” wrote the Philsgoc social media and marketing team.
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