BACOLOD City – Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Richard Bachmann never believes that traditional sports in the country are dying.
Bachmann, Bago City’s Mayor Nicholas Yulo and National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) – Western Visayas director Atty. Princess May Alkalde-Oral led the kickoff on Saturday, September 28, of the two-day Visayas leg of the Indigenous Peoples (IP) Games at the Manuel Y. Torres Sports Center in Bago City, Negros Occidental.
The IP Games included bangkaw, pana, fire making, trompo, panit lubi, kadang, palo sebo, tumba patis, bayo gisig, and galing mais.
“The games will benefit the IPs because no one actually gives them attention as much for them,” Bachman said.
He added: “Narito po ang PSC ngayon upang maging kaisa ninyo sa pangangalaga ng mga tradisyonal na larong inyong kinalakihan at upang ipakilala rin ito sa mga kabataan… Ang mga larong ibinibida sa programang ito ay salamin ng mayamang kasaysayan ng Pilipinas.”
For his part, Mayor Yulo said, “It is an honor to welcome all our participants here. I am also happy that the national and local governments are giving importance on acknowledging and recognizing the members of our IP communities.”
More than 300 IP members participated in the Visayas leg including those from the 17 local government units (LGUs) of Negros Occidental: Isabela, Kabankalan City, San Carlos City, Binalbagan, Hinoba-an, Don Salvador Benedicto, Bago City, Cadiz City, Sagay City, Sipalay City, Calatrava, Himamaylan City, Candoni, Ilog, Cauayan, Silay City, and Talisay City.
The IP Games is held in partnership with the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) and LGUs to expand the reach of the program.
The PSC has been organizing the IP Games since 2018 following the United Nations Educational and Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s appeal for the preservation of the cultural heritage of the world. The Games made a successful comeback in Palawan in November 2023 after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bachmann said the PSC’s task to bring the spirit of sports to all the members of the society is among his top priorities in line with the commission’s mandate of promoting a healthy citizenry and an inclusive landscape for promoting the value of physical wellness./PN
