Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday called on the people to support and cheer for the Philippine team in all the events played during the 23rd Southeast Asian Games.

Leonardia said the Philippine team will play its first football game tomorrow against Thailand. He said sports people are aware that although it is not an assurance that the home team will have an advantage, the home crowd is always a big factor in sports events.

The city is providing the public a free one-way ride from the City Hall to the Panaad Sports and Stadium in Brgy. Mansilingan starting today to enable them to watch the football events. The city bus will leave for the Panaad Stadium at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

The football games today will start at 4 p.m. at the Bacolod City Sports Stadium, formerly the Paglaum Sports Complex and competing are Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia and Myanmar.

Meanwhile, Leonardia said he is very satisfied with the SEAG opening ceremony. He said that although we are not a football country and the team who played Sunday were not from the Philippines, yet the Bacolod City Sports Stadium was filled up with cheering crowds.

"For me what happened at the opening was memorable because it showed the spirit of volunteerism of the Bacoleños, Leonardia said, adding that even if the opening ceremonies was not hi-tech, yet the city was able to put up something spectacular. He said this shows that "if we help each other, there is so much we can achieve."

Leonardia said he hopes people will learn a lot from this ex