Preventively suspended Mayor Michael Rama allegedly scolded athletes at the Cebu City Sports Center for their ‘weak’ response to his ‘good morning’ greeting. | Contributed Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — ‘Good morning’ is usually a simple, cordial way to start the day, but not for the preventively suspended Mayor Michael Rama and a group of athletes at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).
What should have been a simple greeting between the suspended mayor and the athletes quickly spiraled into an unsolicited lecture when Rama allegedly scolded the athletes for their ‘lack of energy’ response to his “good morning” remarks.
The incident, which has since gone viral on social media, has stirred up backlash and criticism about the conduct expected from public officials and the athletes they address.
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On Friday, July 26, witnesses at the sports center recounted that Rama, currently on preventive suspension but still an influential figure in Cebu politics, was making his “morning rounds” at the Cebu City Sports Center oval when he greeted the athletes with a cheerful “good morning.”
To his apparent dismay, the athletes’ response was less enthusiastic than he had anticipated.
“Its started katong ninggreet si Mayor og good morning sa mga athletes pero hinay ang pagresponse sa athletes og good morning kay gikan work out and naghangos pa ang uban,” one of the athletes in the group told CDN Digital.
(It started when the mayor greeted the athletes good morning, but their response to the good morning was a weak one because they had just gone through a workout and the others were still out of breath.)
“Then mao to, niana siya [Rama] nga hinay daw kaayo amoang good morning. Dapat daw kung mo greet mi niya kay kusog daw amoa tingog…Giingnan mi og wala’y batasan,” he added.
(Then that is when he [Rama] said that our response to his good morning was an unenthusiastic one. He said that they should have an enthusiastic response or use a loud voice…then he said that we did not have any manners at all.)
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According to one of the athletes, they felt offended because they were called out for being disrespectful, despite just finishing their workouts and barely having time to rest.
“Dali kaayo kaingon na way batasan kay abi’g hinay ang amoa response niya,” the athlete said.
(He quickly told us that we don’t have any manners because of our weak response to him.)
However, this was not the case according to Rama. In a separate interview with CDN Digital, the preventively suspended mayor denied scolding the athletes.
Instead, he described his interaction as a lecture aimed at character building, similar to a “father teaching his children.”
“I was just doing a quick pep-talk. There was no raising of my voice. Siguro kay dako man ko og tingog, basin na misunderstood lang. I was just teaching them,” he said.
(I was just doing a quick pep talk. There was no raising of my voice. Perhaps, this was because I have a loud voice, they could have misunderstood it. I was just teaching them.)
Rama lamented those who posted and claimed he scolded the athletes, emphasizing that he was simply explaining what true sportsmanship is about—beyond winning medals.
He said that it’s about building character and practicing good manners and right conduct.
“Kani gud panahona pataka lang hasmag ang mga tawo. Katong mga bata, ako lang gipangestoryahan, kay ang mga bata karon dili naman mogood morning. Ako gitudloan kay mga athletes man sila kinahanglan gyud good manners and right conduct,” Rama said.
(In this time, people would just rush in anytime. Those kids, I just talked to them, because the kids today would not greet good morning. I taught them that they are athletes they need to have good manners and right conduct.)
Rama also shared that he felt disrespected during his ‘pep talk’ when someone he referred to as a “father” told the athletes, “Ask him for a P10k incentive.”
“Gitawag na ko. Niana ko niya, ‘Ayaw pagingana. I was telling the athletes how to have a good character. Ayaw i-emphasize ang kwarta,” he said.
(I called him out. I said to him, ‘don’t be like that. I was telling the athletes how to have good character. Don’t emphasize the money.)