THE House of Representatives approved on Wednesday House Bill (HB) No. 8466 which seeks to preserve indigenous or traditional games and sports, like patintero and luksong-tinik, as living heritage of the country.
With an overwhelming 275 votes, the chamber approved the bill on final reading, highlighting the importance of preserving the rich cultural heritage of Filipino indigenous peoples (IPs) and promoting the significance of traditional games in uplifting the well-being of Filipinos, especially the youth.
“The indigenous games and sports of our country are a part of our identity as Filipinos and as a nation,” Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, leader of the 312-strong House of Representatives, said.
“Hence, we must support legislations that will deepen our connection to our historical roots, while also promoting self-expression, peace, harmony, goodwill, and camaraderie, in line with our mandate under the Constitution and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” the Leyte 1st district representative added.
Some of the principal authors of the bill are Reps. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, PM Vargas, Gus Tumbunting, Faustino Michael Carlos Dy III, Lord Allan Velasco, Keith Micah Tan, Charisse Anne Hernandez, Richard Gomez, Eric Buhain, Stella Luz Quimbo, and Manuel Jose Dalipe.
Section 3 of HB 8466 defines “indigenous games” as traditional sports and games distinctly connected and rooted in the traditions, customs, and practices, and reflect the rich cultural heritage of the different indigenous cultural communities or indigenous peoples, handed down from generation to generation such as bunong braso, ginnuyudan, hilahang lubid, kadang-kadang, karera sa sako, luksong-tinik, patintero, syato, unggoy-unggoyan.
These include games played by the indigenous communities, usually accompanied by indigenous materials and implements, in observance of IPs’ rituals, celebration of cultural festivals, expression of socialization, entertainment, and competition.
The proposed law also mandates the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), in coordination with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and the local government units (LGUs) to conduct annual regional and national indigenous sports competitions.
In consultation with the concerned indigenous cultural communities (ICCs) or indigenous peoples, the host LGU will have the prerogative to choose the games and sports events to be played during the regional and national indigenous sports competitions.
The bill also tasks the NCIP and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in coordination with the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, the PSC, POC, LGUs, and the Philippine Information Agency, to initiate measures to preserve indigenous games in the country, such as the inclusion of indigenous games as part of the curriculum and other appropriate school activities in the basic and higher education system, and the production of documentary and other materials on indigenous games.
Once HB 8466 is enacted into law, indigenous games will be included as regular demonstration sports in the Palarong Pambansa and other national sports events, and research on the various sports and games traditionally played by different indigenous groups, in consultation with the ICCs or IPs, will be conducted to ensure their preservation and continuity.
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