Water Dragons

When one stands on the seawall of Roxas Boulevard at the break of day, one can almost see the intrepid clans of balanghay explorers plowing the waves.

They are rowing for land with yet another burst of strength and determination, unmindful of sweat and fatigue, with only a rhythmic drumbeat to remind them that time and space exist.

The Philippines’ population grew from the brave people of these balanghays and their children intermarried with the peoples who had made their own hazardous crossings over Asia’s land bridges centuries before.

The symbolism of the boat in Philippine history is strong and proud, and Filipinos to this day are known as folk who know the ways and moods of the capricious sea. Our communities are called barangays, after the boats that brought our ancestors to these shores.

Filipinos were the first Southeast Asians to craft warships–the feared vinta with its colorful sail and the ornately-carved caracoa, which had on board trained and professional soldiers and seafarers and a drummer to keep the beat so the rowers belowdecks would keep an even keel. The caracoa also carried on its prow one poet who would sing and chant ancient verse as the paddlers rowed.

Today, Filipinos are among the most sought-after seamen–so much so that every merchant marine vessel that sails the world’s seas has at least one Filipino on its crew. The sea is a challenge Filipinos, people of an archipelago of 7,100 isles, take on each day.

Another set of intrepid Filipinos challenges the sea in slim seacraft: Drago Pilipinas is the country’s first dragon boat racing team and it is a team that, like its ancestors, has pioneered new sealanes where other Filipinos may sail.

Dragon boat racing has become one of the fastest growing team sports in the Philippines and it is now a staple sport for universities and private organizations. According to Drago Pilipinas spokesman Aloysius Alday, dragon boat racing has developed a particularly strong following in the collegiate circuit, among young professionals and among local sports enthusiasts.

STARweek sat down one morning for some post-practice coffee with Drago Pilipinas rowers at the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex to learn more about the sport.

"Dragon boat racing is a very exciting, very primal sport," a freshly-scrubbed Alday says with a smile. "It is something that gets into your blood."

The sport is defined as a "race of very long and narrow boats powered by a crew of human paddlers." The focus is the team. Says Alday, "The first thing we have to consider is that this is a team sport, so whoever joins us joins a team and we have to work together and match our strokes. There can be no hotshots here."

He adds that "determination, discipline and a commitment of time for practice" are part of life as a dragon boat racer. "We have to make time to practice, to train by running outdoors if the weather is good and doing stamina and strength training in the gym if the weather is bad."

Rain or shine Drago Pilipinas’ rowers get into the waters of Manila Bay and train "unless the weather is really, really bad," Alday says. They make do with the pay toilets across the CCP building, where they shower and dress for work post-practice.

Reacting to comments about Manila Bay’s pollution, Alday says, "We practice where we can and we just make extra-sure we scrub. It would be nice to train someplace like Camiguin or Palawan, but this is the area we use because we all have to go to work or school right after training."

The teammates exchange good-natured jibes and taunts as the interview progresses, and the ease with which they interact is endearing.

"We are brothers and sisters of the sea," Alday says of their camaraderie. "Our teamwork stems from a bond between all of us, it is our strength, it is what enables us to row together toward one goal."

No wonder Drago Pilipinas is an internationally-awarded team, having won and represented the Philippines in competitions in Macau, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia.

These victories, Alday says, "are our gift to our country. When we go to international dragon boat competitions, ang sarap ng feeling ng alam mo dala mo yung watawat ng bansa mo (it feels good to know you are bearing your country’s flag)."

Drago Pilipinas is composed primarily of professionals, corporate executives and entrepreneurs. Drago’s objective is to further "increase the popularity of dragon boat racing in the country, to attract committed men and women and develop them into world-class dragon boat racers."

"It is our vision to produce the best athletes to represent the country in a sport where the Philippines has a strong opportunity for victory," Alday says, adding that there is no height requirement in this sport, although they do factor in a member’s weight.

However, support for the sport is poor, if the dragon boat wharf at the CCP complex is any indication. The deck of this converted dinghy wharf is slippery and rickety and it is risky to just stand on it, let alone tie a boat alongside it.

"We have asked if this can be fixed," Alday says wistfully. "But it is the property of the Philippine Navy and they say they have no budget to fix it."

Other problems include funding for the team’s participation in international competitions. "The airfare often comes from our pockets and, while many of us are professionals, plane tickets are not cheap."

The team is sponsored by the Metrobank Foundation, Boysen paints, Pride laundry detergent and other sponsors who provide them with paddles, uniforms and other equipment.

The government does extend them some courtesy: "At the airport, if the officials know we are traveling to compete for the Philippines, they waive our travel taxes."

"We are gathered together for the love of paddle and water. We are committed to promoting the Philippines as one of the world’s dragon boat racing stalwarts," says the team’s manifesto.

Among Drago Pilipinas’ awards and recognitions are: Champion in the 1996 Macau Men’s finals, and the 1997, 2000 and 2001 Hong Kong Mixed finals; Silver medals in the the 1998 Hong Kong Mixed and Men’s finals, the 2000 Hong Kong Men’s and Women’s finals, the 2001 Macau Men’s finals, and the 2002 Hong Kong Men’s finals; and bronze medal finishes in several other races.

They have also competed in Vietnam and team member Darwin Basas expresses envy over the support other nations’ dragon boat racers have.

"In Vietnam, they have a dedicated wharf just for their dragon boat teams," Basas says. "Malinis at maayos ang facilities nila (their facilities are clean and in good repair). I wish we could have that here."

Basas, one of the more senior Drago Pilipinas team members, comments that the team is now "a mix of veterans and newbies and our camaraderie is strong because of mutual respect and discipline."

By veteran, Basas means members who have been rowing for 12 years or more "because it gets in your blood and you become addicted to it and your body looks for it when you don’t get into your boat and row with your team."

Like their ancestors in the balanghays, today’s racers board a slim boat, put muscle behind their oars and row to the rhythmic beat of bare hands pounding a drum.

"When we are in the sea and rowing, the feeling is incredible," Basas says. "It is just us and the sea."

Of course, while the shoulders and back muscles do most of the work, Basas and Alday say full training for dragon boat racing includes running, weights and strength training and workouts that strengthen the legs and abdominal muscles as well as the musculature of the upper body.

"We have to be strong to pull those oars," they agree. "We need to be strong to win for the country."