Pinoy warriors vie in Tribal Games

MANILA, Philippines - They are not your ordinary athletes. They walk around barefoot, half naked, in their tribal costumes. They carry blow guns, spears and bow and arrows made out of wood.

But next week, these nine athletes and three coaches will carry the Philippine flag when they compete in the first Asean Indigenous Tribal Games in Ranau Village, Sabah, Malaysia.

Col. Jeff Tamayo, president of the Philippine Soft Tennis Association and board member of the Philippine Olympic Committee, is the founder of the Asean event scheduled on Sept. 15 and 16.

Yesterday, Tamayo presented the members of the RP team to members of the media, during the PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Avenue.

“I hope this is the start of something big,” he said as members of the team, garbed in their traditional attire, looked on.

“These are the grandfathers of the Filipino tribes – the Mangyans of Mindoro, the Aetas of Pampanga and the Dumagats of Sierra Madre. These are the best Filipinos in the tribal games,” Tamayo added.

He stressed the importance of the coming event in Kota Kinabalu, because in 2011 the Philippines will play host the a bigger Asean Tribal Games, where he expects to draw at least 80 different tribes in the region.

“These are our true ambassadors of sports. And they are here to help spread the goodwill to the indigenous people of the other countries, and show them what they could be missing in their traditions,” Tamayo added in the Outlast Battery, Pagcor and Shakey’s presented session.

The athletes are Arnulfo Bernardo, Reynaldo Panagsagan, Ryan Pacifico, Marlon Luna, Ricardo Turgo, June Ablong, MAnalo Ablong, Dumlao Naval and Jimmy Ablong. Coaches are Conchita Consada, Jerry Manalo and Danilo Tecson.

Consada is a Dumagat tribal official while Manalo is an educator from Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro. Tecson is an Aeta chieftain based in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

The POC official said he managed to get passports for the 12 members of the team despite the absence of any records from the National Statistics Office or any of their birth or marriage certificates.

“Maybe our officials appreciated what we were doing. Just to get passports for these people is already an accomplishment. It’s the first time these people will go beyond the seas, and travelling by plane,” Tamayo added.

The Tribal Games in Kota Kinabalu will feature competitions in boat race, foot race, traditional dancing, spearing, blow gun, and archery in assault courses, like shooters aiming for targets while they’re up in the trees.

“It’s a tribal competition and we hope that people, not only in the Philippines, to take notice of it. Again, these people are the original protectors of our bio-diversities, our national heritage, our culture, our environment,” added Tamayo.