Cong. Mangaoang highlights IPs contribution during 2021 Indigenous Sports and Games webinar

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Congressman Allen Jesse Mangaoang highlighted the role played by the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in laying the foundation for the evolution of global sports.

During the opening of the 2021 Indigenous Sports and Games Webinar, the solon stressed that traditional sport plays a vital role in attaining the vision of developing a nationalistic-healthy and socially sound citizenry.

“We should bear in mind that before the advent of the contemporary games, we were a physically, socially, and psychologically strong nation, and this healthy structure were the benefits we obtained from appropriate exercises found in traditional games,” Mangaoang underscored.

The solon also cited studies indicating that traditional games were better than modern-day sports because they are more relevant in child development.

However, ‘indigenous peoples are sometimes misrepresented and athletes from the urban areas dominate the representation in various levels of sports competition we undertake.’

With this observation, the solon and Chairman of the House Committee on Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Cultural Communities expressed appreciation to the Philippine Sports Commission for coming up with said webinar that intends to promote, preserve, propagate, and raise awareness to regenerate interest in traditional Filipino games.

Preservation of Culture and Tradition through Sports

According to Mangaoang, ‘we don’t mean that we should literally go back to the culture and we don’t necessarily mean that we turn back to the advent of modernization.’

“What we are trying to point out is that even though the world is continuously changing, we should preserve our culture and tradition. It is our trademark, and the reason why we are unique compared to other countries,” explained the solon.

He then called for the elders saying, ‘the preservation of our culture starts with us and what we teach our children and that we are in the position to save the minds of the young, and develop nationalistic healthy and socially sound next generation of Filipinos.’

Mangaoang stated that the government, through Congress, has filed various legislative measures to re-integrate traditional games in the human kinetics curriculum and in competitive sports undertakings.

In addition, the solon ‘would like to sit with the Philippine Sports Commission to discuss the institutionalization of Higher Sports Program that integrates traditional and contemporary games in all sports competitions.’

Mangaoang hopes that by integrating the traditional games in every sports competition, around 70 million IPs all over the archipelago will level the playing field.

“With the sports program embracing a holistic concept where participation is inclusive, there is no doubt the playing field will be wilder again with every Filipino enjoying the game,” the solon concluded.

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