SINCE medal-rich arnis was scrapped from the initial roster of events proposed by host Vietnam for the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 2021, 2019 SEA Games women's arnis gold medalist Jezebel Morcillo of Davao City was disappointed as she was looking forward to defending her title next year.
The 25-year-old Dabawenya, in a Facebook Messenger interview with Sunstar Davao Thursday, said: "Syempre dismayado po kay nag-expect man gud mi na makadula pa among team sa sunod SEA Games and excited pa naman mi sa among mga trainings na himuon namo for preparation ungta (I am dismayed as we have been expecting to compete in the next SEA Games and we are all excited for our training preparations)."
She, however, hopes that arnis will still be included in the final roster of events.
"Mao pud na among prayers syempre passion na namo nag arnis and as players po gusto namo permanent na ang arnis sa SEA Games (That's our prayer because arnis is our passion and we want the sport to be permanent in the SEA Games)," he said, adding that it would be a great honor for her to represent the country again.
She also said, "Gusto nako ma defend po kung matagaan gihapon ko ug chance na maka represent (I would like to defend my title once given another opportunity to play for the country)."
She said they will have yet to hear from their national sports association's plans for them whether arnis will be totally excluded from the biennial Games.
"Under monitoring man gihapon mi sa among training (Our home training is being monitored)," she said.
Morcillo, who earned some P750,000 cash incentives for her SEA Games feat, bought his father a multicab that they can use in going to their farm in Sultan Kudarat. She also set aside an amount for their house renovation and put the rest in the bank as personal savings.
She recently started a small bunwich business in Barangay 39-D to while her time away and to also earn additional income. In the morning, she focuses on her home training then in the afternoon, she sells her bunwich with just a simple table and a chair. "Mao rana daily routine nako (That's my daily routine since the pandemic struck)."
She also plans to work once the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is over.
It can be recalled that the national arnis team harvested a total of 14 golds in the 30th SEA Games that the country hosted last year.