Meeting the other Pacquiaos
I DID this piece early yesterday morning while still at East Asia Hotel in GenSan, venue and host of the Mindanao leg of the Indigeneous Peoples (IP) Games.
Truth is I penned one yesterday, sent it, and it got lost in cyberspace. Why I do not know, so I promised my editor Ed Andaya I will send one today, and to make sure, do it in the hotel.
This is the final leg of this program initiated by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), in partnership with the National Commission on Indigeneous People (NCIP), DepEd, and host Local Government Units (LGUs) to help promote traditional games of our IP communities.
Now more than ever, it is something that needs to be done particularly for younger generations who are pre occupied with on line applcations and games with limited sense of the past for many.
I have been in this progressive city since last Wednesday since the IP Games is part of the oversight function of PSC Commissioner Fritz Gaston and I work as his Executive Assistant , and believe me, there is a lot of preparation to be done prior to the actual event held Saturday and Sunday.
And last Thursday afternoon, together with our IP Games Project Director Elias Samorin, we guested at a local RPN radio station with the event as the topic.
Among others, I was asked on the importance of doing ths event and I shared my belief that a nation’s history is influenced by its culture and traditions , as such, should not be forgotten.
Take these games played here in IP Games, pana or archery, sibat or spear throwing, kadang kadang or walking on stilts, and bayo ng bigas,these are not just games, our IPs use spears and bow and arrow to hunt in the mountains, even defend themselves with these weapons, kadang kadang is a means of transport, while bayo ng bigas is an every day chore.
Taken altogether, this is a way of life and not play games, we need to understand and appreciate these traditions, that was my reply to the question.
Going back to the actual event, earlier this year, the Luzon leg was held in Salcedo in Ilocos Sur and last month, we were in Bago City fir the Visayas leg.
Here in GenSan, we had seven LGUs from Saranggani province , though one failed to come, and another team from GenSan which participated, and it was good to see the close to 300 participants and supporters really getting into each event with unbridled enthusiasm, cheering their respective teams as if it was the Olympic Games.
I was just surprised that among the events played at the Acharon Sports Complex, included were a 100m dash, a 4x100m. relay, and swimming, though I accept that running and swimming are normal things even in the hinterlands.
I was kidding some of the participants that they set a world recird in the 4 x 100 ,not the winning time but because of the size of the baton relay, a long and big piece of bamboo.
PSC Commissioners Fritz and Ed Hayco would have enjoyed this event.
Fritz was the guest speaker at the opening ceremonies , and he also delivered an inspirational talk at the IP Forum, one of the side events that tackle concerns of the IP communities.
He was joined at the opening ceremonies by GebSan Mayir Lorelie Pacquiao, wife to former boxer and Congressman Bobby Pacquiao, in turn brother to 8 division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, who might have dropped by Sunday together brother Rogelio, current Governor of Saranggani.
This is what I mean meeting the other Pacquiaos as we made a courtesy call Friday afternoon at the City Hall and met the Mayor and her hubby,she shared with us her achievements for the city, focused on health care and sports. Too bad we did not had the time to see their new sports facilities including a boxing center.
Fact is GenSan has replaced Bago City as the new local boxing capital of the country, thanks primarily to Manny.
As early as now, GenSan has already formally offered to host next year’s Batang Pinoy, which will be a different story altogether.
Now, I need to leave and go to the venue for the final events of the IP Games.
