Laro ng Lahi set in Lagawe

Five major combat sports make up the coming Laro ng Lahi-Ifugao set in the municipality of Lagawe over the weekend.

Boxing, wushu, wrestling, weightlifting, and taekwondo will be featured in the all-women event set July 8-9.

A total of 400 participants are seeing action in the two-day meet to be held at the Lagawe Town Plaza and Village Park.

“The project is to support the grassroots program of Ifugao and mandated by the Philippine Commission on Women na laging nagpapa-alala na huwag kalimutan ang indigenous sports,” said PSC commissioner Bong Coo in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

“Since tinutulungan namin ang Ifugao sa grassroots program at tsaka maraming IP (Indigenous People) sa kanila, so kinausap namin sila kung pwede kaming magsagawa ng IP sports dun.”

The meet is in coordination with Ifugao Governor Jerry U. Dalipog and Executive Assistant Agustin Calya-en.

Coo added in the session presented by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, MILO, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) that ethnic cultural games will likewise be part of the calendar of events.

The cultural sports, nine in all, are labba race, guyyudan (tug of war), kadang-kadang, dopop di babuy, manbayu, hanggul, huktingan, bultung, dopap di manuk.

As added incentive, the provincial government of Ifugao initiated on its own a coaching certification on technical officials who are going to participate.

At the same time, the local government is in the process of building a covered court to house their local athletes.

Meanwhile, Chino Trinidad, a noted broadcaster and former commissioner of the Philippine Basketball League, has embarked on a new journey and advocacy.

Trinidad is out to promote cockfighting as a sport and ‘an integral part of Philippine culture.’

“Based on history, it’s the oldest sport in our country, and played by our ancestors,” said Trinidad during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

The popular sports figure plans to use all avenues, including the tri-media, to send his message across that cockfighting is “beyond gambling” but a sport that adheres to honesty.

Trinidad also recognized that cockfighting in the country has become a multi-billion industry.

“From the breeding process, feeds, vitamins, supplements all the way to the derbies, it truly is a multi-billion industry in the Philippines and a great contributor to the economy,” he said

“But my ultimate goal is to develop the appreciation of the sport and ‘yung mai-present ang sabong hindi sa negative side. What we want to preserve here is the sport being part of who we are as Filipinos,” he added.

“Sayang because cockfighting here was never given the opportunity to be included in mainstream sports like horse racing,” added Trinidad, who stressed that he’s not into cockfighting.

“Hindi po ako sabungero but a lover of Philippine culture. I’m just fascinated by this industry,” he added.