Pudtol children engaged in “Larong Pinoy” to prevent excessive use of gadgets, promote physical health

Pudtol, Apayao - Obesity problems from changing physical activity to electronic devices is one of the major concerns among children nowadays.

In the educational environment, students who spend a lot of time playing online games perform worse academically.  In fact, studies have revealed that academic achievement is influenced by game context.

Thus, to prevent the excessive participation in video games while promoting physical health among children, the Department of Health - Apayao conducted the "Beat the Heat: Larong Pinoy Challenge" activity in the municipality of Pudtol recently.

The activity, as mentioned by the Apayao Provincial Public Information Office, aimed to prevent non-communicable diseases among the children while promoting a sense of cultural appreciation.

The participants were students of Lower and Upper Swan Elementary School, wherein, they were engaged in various traditional games such as Patintero, Luksong Tinik, Step Yes-Step No, Kadang-kadang, Agawan Base, among others.

In her opening remarks, Development Management Officer IV Cheryl Reyes encouraged the students to avoid electronic games and embrace the tradition of "Larong Pinoy" instead, adding that the increasing addiction to gadgets can affect their academics and development.

To ensure continuous participation, meantime, Rural Health Physician Anne-Gelica Betat urged the teachers to incorporate these activities into their Physical Education (PE) curriculum.