The Revival of the Traditional Filipino Games Essay

loved. The Filipino Games are timeless. It is still well-loved and cherished by many, as it is part of our heritage. Larong Pinoy’s popularity encompasses not only the youth, but adult and elderly generation as well. It’s a timeless cultural treasure. The games are still being played in urban & rural communities, by a majority population who have no access to high technology. The games are still taught in public schools. A majority of adults and elders would like to pass on the fun tradition to make the new generation experience the fun of being truly Filipinos.

In keeping with tradition, Magna Kultura launched the revival of LARONG PINOY in the country, by building the 1st Sports Training School and by creating an infrastructure of tournaments, as well as, small livelihood business for local sari-sari stores selling larong Pinoy toy items. There is more to Larong Pinoy than just games. It is a cultural vehicle to shape young citizens to be proud Filipinos.

More than simply advocating street games, the Larong Pinoy program seeks to instill timely values among the new generation, as it promotes:

1st – PATRIOTISM: for the youth to to feel the Pride of being Filipinos; 2nd – FAMILY BONDING: to build a bridge of closeness among elderly generation and today’s children; 3rd – To Enliven Communities: to bring back the fun in neighborhoods providing children with meaningful play activities and an avenue for camaraderie. In today’s modern age of technology, children go out less in their neighborhoods, missing out on camaraderie with their “Kababata”. In addition to the significant values of culture & tradition, the Larong Pinoy program promotes healthy lifestyle and active outdoor play among children.

Furthermore, it creates a good avenue for children to create bonding moments with their parents and elders. And, above all, it gives them the feeling of being truly Filipino. To re-institutionalize the games back in the mainstream, Magna Kultura created the 1st ever Sports School for Larong Pinoy — implementing systematic guidelines of playing the traditional Filipino street games. Drills and exercises are given by sports trainers from Magna Kultura and the Department of Education.

Larong Pinoy Play Camps of Magna Kultura Foundation had scientific teaching approach that on September 29, 2008, the Department of Education issued an official Circular memorandum to the Division of City Schools, authorizing the Foundation to implement the Sports Clinics in all public elementary schools. Magna Kultura’s Larong Pinoy Outreach is a grassroots advocacy that is toured in schools and in barangays. Reaching to the youth and their parents. Larong Pinoy captures a multi-generation market across-the-board.

Larong Pinoy is popular among the middle and lower bracket of society, especially among citizens with no access to modern technology gadgets. It is popular amongst three living generations of Filipinos: from elderly citizens, to parent, and the teenagers & toddlers. It is still widely played in schools & barangays. The beauty of Larong Pinoy is that it has inexpensive materials. Kids may buy the items at such a low price, or even create these from raw materials. Take Piko for example: kids can play it using ordinary pebbles as “pamato”. For Patintero, you only have to draw lines (tracks) on the ground, and the play begins.

That’s just the way our grandparents played the games. No high-tech gadgets … they just go out, and start to play. and the beauty of it is that they build fond memories together… and it lives on up until they grow old. That’s why they call it games of our “heritage”. Ang kagandahan sa Larong Pinoy ay, bukod sa pinasasaya ang mga bata, pumapaloob pa sa kanila ang diwang maka-Pilipino. Ito ang Laro ng mga Batang Pinoy. Greater things are still to be done in our country. As long as we believe… we have our own contributions to make, our own special talents to use.

We believe in shaping today’s youth, because they will be the citizens who will manage our society. Play is the original way of learning things. Train them. Let the children play. TOMORROW, THEY WILL JOIN VARIOUS LEAGUES IN OUR SOCIETY & ALL AROUND THE GLOBE… AND THEY WILL PLAY AS A TEAM CALLED FILIPINO RACE. Key to the sports infrastructure and strategies is the establishment SPORTS CLUBS in the district-barangays. While membership to the club is composed of kids and neighborhood adults, the management is composed of youth leaders and civic individuals in the district-communities.

And it will be open to young adults & parents. The Clubs will serve as the sports hub that will managed participation, continuity of activities and propagation of the community enterprise that will make Larong Pinoy sustainable in areas visited by Magna Kultura Larong Pinoy Sports Clubs are given sports franchises with opportunity to conduct social purpose enterprise in In every district-barangays, Magna Kultura will train citizens in managing operation in social entrepreneurship skills, in managing data-base and finance.

The Social purpose enterprise will be built around vending of official Larong Pinoy game items sold through officially designated outlets and vendors in district-neighborhoods. Among the many programs we do, but I enjoy doing Larong Pinoy bec. it’s a fun! At the same time instills Filipino spirit, enlivens families and communities; and then there’s a livelihood component that touches sari-sari store and vendors. Indeed, Culture can be an Economic Engine!

Larong Pinoy is an Outreach Program that builds an ecosystem in communities. Magna Kultura trains local advocates in district-communities to manage a social enterprise built around the games. An enterprise managed of local citizens, composed of school- and community-based leaders. Distribution of Larong Pinoy toy items among sari-sari store and small vendors is managed by local citizens as a franchised endeavor, a local livelihood among Small traders traders in the area.