WE'RE ALL JUST ONE
Welcome all to our country
See it in all its beauty
And meet our friendly people
And enjoy
Southeast Asia's
Where we're from
Brothers we are
We're all just one
We have come
From near and far
We're here to play
For brothers we are
On your mark get set
Now ready steady go
Run, run like the wind
And fly as swiftly as a sparrow
Hark the whistle
Hear it call
Fight like a tiger
Give it your all
Love and peace
And brotherhood
United as one
We'll show the world
Give it all you've got
We'll play it fair and square
Fight with all your might
For victory is ours to share
Southeast Asia's
Where we're from
Brothers we are
We're all just one
We have come
From near and far
We're here to play
For brothers we are
So welcome all to our country
See it in all its beauty
And meet our friendly people
And enjoy, enjoy
Southeast Asia's
Where we're from
Brothers we are
We're all just one
We have come
From near and far
We're here to play
For brothers we are
Brothers we are
We're all just one
Brothers we are
We're all just one
We're All Just One
Theme Song for 23rd Southeast
Asian Games
Nov. 27-Dec. 5, Philippines
Lyrics by Rene Nieva
Music by Jose Mari Chan
HOW IT ALL STARTED
Perceptions chairman & president Rene Nieva was requested by Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine South East Asian Games Organizing Committee president and CEO Jose Cojuangco, Jr. to write the lyrics for the 23rd SEA Games Song being held in the Philippines from Nov. 27 to Dec. 5, 2005, Nieva saw it as an opportunity for Perceptions to contribute towards the success of the hosting of the Games.
In writing the lyrics of the song, Rene's objectives were:
- To help determine and set the theme for the Games, which were only being held in the Philippines for the 3rd time.
- To help make Filipinos aware that the Philippines was hosting the Games and encourage them to support the Games and cheer the Filipino athletes to victory.
Rene thought it would take him several days if not weeks to do the lyrics. But with the deadline set by Cojuangco fast approaching, he sat down at home in the evening of Saturday, Feb. 12, played the tape of the music repeatedly, wrote and re-wrote the words, and finished the lyrics in about two hours.
He sent the lyrics to Cojuangco, who in turn passed it on Chan. He received a call from Chan a few days later who told Rene that he "loved" the lyrics. The song was played for the first time during the media launch of the 23rd SEA Games in March 15, 2005.
Rene Nieva rallied support for the 23rd SEA Games athletes.
Rene said he chose for the title "We're All Just One" because he worked as ASEAN Public Affairs Advisor for Exxon Chemicals in the 1980s. In his travels around the region, he realized that we had so many things in common with our neighbors in Southeast Asia - in looks, in language, in our psyche, in our sense of humor, in our history and culture. He thought that indeed, we really belonged to one racial and cultural family, that we were all brothers and sisters. It was this message of us Southeast Asians belonging to one family that Rene tried to convey in the lyrics of the song - of how we compete in the various sports, give our best, play fairly and with sportsmanship, and all the while get to know, understand and appreciate each other better.
Rene also hoped that the 23rd SEA Games would also provide a catalyst that would help Filipinos lay aside our differences for a while, and unite and work together to ensure the success of the games and cheer our Filipino athletes to victory.
Results
The publicity and air time generated for the SEA Games Song should have easily reached at least P10 million in terms of media value for both print ad space and air time on TV and radio in both local and international media.
The lyrics of the 23rd SEA Games Song helped set the theme for the Games of "One Heritage, One Southeast Asia". It helped make Filipinos aware that the Philippines was hosting the Games and encouraged them to support and cheer for the Filipino athletes competing in the regional sportsfest. Cojuangco lauded Rene and Chan for their "selfless and patriotic act in lending their talents to the creation of the song without charging a single centavo".