Recently concluded Palarong Pambansa is "most Filipino yet"

It can be said that this year's recently concluded Palarong Pambansa in Dumaguete City was the "most Filipino yet" since the annual national youth sports program started in 1948.

Okay, so Patintero or Tumbang Preso weren't exactly being played in the Palarong Pambansa, but the yearly event has at least included many sports that traces its roots in Asia.

There's the Sepak Takraw which has been gaining popularity over the years and has become one of the most anticipated games among the 17 regular ones played during the event. This year, three demonstration games have been added--wushu, billiards, and futsal.

According to Tonisito Umali, the Assistant Secretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs of the Department of Education (DepEd), the demo games were included in this year's games, as recommended by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

"PSC believes that those demo games are the sports where Filipinos can excel at in international competitions. We'll have to thoroughly study whether or not there are enough number of players for those sports before we include them as regular ones," Umali told TWIST in an interview in Dumaguete City last week.

So, in a way, there is conscious effort to make the Palaro more Filipino, or at the very least more Asian in spirit.

Asked how DepEd measures the success of the Palaro, Umali said they look at how many sports records--both for the Palaro and national--are broken each year as well as the number of young athletes that move on to a more professional level.

"More importantly, we succeed if we were able to give the athletes a venue to showcase the skills and talent they have. This sports event is proof that sports, as a program, is duly recognized and supported by DepEd and the national government," he said.

Umali was quick to add  this year's cash incentive that gives P3,000 for every Gold medal an athlete bags. If it's a group competition, each athlete receive P1,000. He also thanked the private sector who helped in housing the 10,000 athletes and coaches that participated in this year's sporting event.

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