MANILA -- Floy Quintos, a Palanca-award winning playwright, has given a sneak peek into the finale of the much-anticipated opening ceremony for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

Quintos, who was tasked to direct the performance, explained his thought process behind the remarkable attempt to show the beauty of a "united" Philippines.

"Yes, the show is a spectacle. And the power of spectacle is one that has been used, worldwide by the powerful to further agendas," Quintos wrote in a Facebook post that showed a photo of hundreds of performers onstage for the finale.

"It is in the hands of the spectacle's creators to patch together some meaning, some cohesion, some message that goes beyond the political. ...And so this image from the show's finale. Of a people. If only for a moment, United."

In his post, he said that he avoided using special effects and stage wizardry for attention --instead doubling down on highlighting the resiliency of Filipinos through highly-energetic, joyous choreography.

The performance will also feature a strong thematic thread of inclusivity --from complex warrior dances to the many struggles of the Philippines' marginalized groups.

The opening ceremony of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games will be held at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan this Saturday.

You can read Quintos' full post below: