PHILIPPINE National Games (PNG) 2018 champions Glennon Jhon Malisa, Jezebel Morcillo and Adelfa Sagne of Davao City will don the country's colors in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Philippines slated November 30 to December 11.
Kapatirang Doble Olisi-Eskrima head Mario Palazuelo bared this in a recent Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at The Annex of SM City Davao.
"They've been consistent gold medalists in Palarong Pambansa, in PNG and in local and international tournaments. They are seasoned players," Palazuelo said in the vernacular, pleased that Dabawenyos will at last represent the country to the biennial Games as members of the Philippine national arnis team.
Malisa, a triple PNG 2018 gold medalist, is in male team B while Morcillo and Sagne are both in the female team A.
He said in-house training in Manila may start soon but since Malisa will be seeing action in the Palarong Pambansa 2019 set on April 28 to May 4 in Davao City, he might be excused from national team training.
"The Palaro will be a good exposure," Palazuelo said.
He also said that Sagne and Morcillo were willing to sacrifice their jobs for the SEA Games training.
But he added, "Ungta homebase lang ang training then magtapok lang ang Philippine team ngadto sa Manila kung hapit na (I hope they can just train here and join the national team in Manila when competition is close)."
Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation, Inc. president Senator Miguel Zubiri, according to Palazuelo, gave the national coach a quota of 12 to 15 gold medals in the SEA Games.