House okays on second reading bill preserving Phl indigenous games

By Filane Mikee Cervantes 

A measure preserving the indigenous games of the Philippines hurdled second-reading approval at the House of Representatives.
    During the plenary session Tuesday, the chamber passed through voice voting House Bill 8466 or the proposed Philippine Indigenous Games Preservation Act, which aims to preserve the rich cultural heritage of Filipino indigenous peoples and promote the significance of traditional games in uplifting the well-being of Filipinos, especially the youth.
    The bill would mandate the Philippine Sports Commission, in coordination with the Philippine Olympic Committee, National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP), and local government units (LGU), to conduct annual regional and national indigenous sports competitions.
    The host LGU, in consultation with the concerned indigenous cultural communities or indigenous peoples, shall be granted the prerogative to choose the games and sports events to be played during the regional and national indigenous sports competitions.
    The measure states that the inclusion of indigenous games should be included as regular demonstration sports in the Palarong Pambansa and other national sports events.
    The NCIP and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts shall be mandated to research on the various sports and games traditionally played by different indigenous groups to ensure the preservation and continuity of the indigenous games.

The House also approved on second reading HB 8468 or the proposed Philippine National Games Act, which seeks to provide a framework and structure for a truly integrated and comprehensive national sports program linking grassroots sports promotion to elite sports development.

HB 8468 proposes the institutionalization of the conduct of the Philippine National Games (PNG) as the government's premier national sports competition to be held once every two years.

The Palarong Pambansa and other local sports competitions organized by the LGUs or the private sector shall serve as the feeder system for the recruitment of athletes in various sports and the preparatory sports program for the PNG. -- PNA