People power and Barangay sports

Two Saturdays ago, I had the chance to do the commentary of the 44-round boxing promotion of a son of mine, Councilor Joseph (Sep) Juico, of the first district of Quezon City. The bouts, held in Barangay Paltok, were watched live by more than a thousand wildly cheering spectators that included members of the De La Salle University’s champion women’s volleyball team in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). The entire card was shown last Sunday on IBC 13 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

That boxing promotion, which goes under the name of Sports Entertainment Program, was the seventh or eighth over the last 20 months that Joseph had organized during barangay fiestas in the first district. It was also the second time that Joseph had worked with Tony Aldeguer and Sammy Gello-Ani in bringing in boxers from the Visayas and Mindanao to Metro Manila. That afforded these boxers the opportunity to be seen by Metro Manila audiences and appear in national television.

Based on what I saw, in terms of audience reaction and interest, it definitely will not be the last time that Aldeguer and Gello-Ani and Joseph will collaborate together with Rey Sanchez and Alex Quisumbing of Rare Sales who provided the airtime on IBC 13.

These types of sporting events at the barangay level are really meant to arouse the interest of people at the grassroots in sports and to see for themselves without having to pay admission fees, live sporting events.

Having seen these events almost right at their doorstep, it is hoped that the grassroots would then be encouraged to participate in sports, not necessarily just in boxing or some other martial art, but in some activity that will help keep them physically fit despite (or is it because of) the hard times. By being physically fit, they can engage in sports for the rest of their lives and maintain a certain fairly acceptable quality of life in their old age. In short, the idea is to empower everyone to engage in life long sports.

I sense, based on my experience in sports promotion at all levels of society and among various economic classes, age and gender groupings and level of sports talent over more than 10 years and in community organizing and people mobilization in general for more than 30 years, there are some fundamental principles one ought to consider in promoting sports at the grassroots. These principles could probably form the nucleus of what could be the framework for sports development (and for that matter, with some modifications, for any meaningful form of social action) at the grassroots.

In enumerating these principles, I am very much guided also by many discussions I have had with people who have had some experience in sports science like former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Perry Mequi, who is now physical education director of Foundation University in Dumaguete City, and a number of political activists at the grassroots.

In management, we talk of the vision-mission of the organization as the starting point of any strategic plan. The same goes for a sports program at the grassroots: the program must be anchored on a basic philosophical foundation like "community sports for peace and joyful participation."

By invoking peace and participation, it is anticipated that all activities in the barangay will be conducted and participated in with the intention of observing conduct that will contribute to peaceful participation. Such a philosophical foundation will hopefully minimize or prevent "rumbles" and undesirable behavior among participants.

The program must be instructional followed by competition. This aspect must be emphasized since there is a tendency to organize leagues and competitions where only the already skillful will benefit. The key therefore is for all competitions to be preceded by instructional classes in order to increase the number of participants. By increasing the number of participants we come that much closer to the ideal of "Sports for All."

The program must encourage "volunteerism" which is the essence of social responsibility. Barangay residents who participate in the program must do so gratuitously and for the sake of sports and community well being and not because of some direct or indirect financial benefit. Volunteerism ensures community participation and support. Trainers, for example, in the sports instructional classes will be composed of volunteer athletes, both active and retired, and elderly folks who have experience in some sports like ballroom dancing and aerobics.

It is hoped that by establishing a philosophical foundation, introducing an instructional component and promoting volunteerism, the program will have a ripple effect and expand to other localities. Once the ripple effect is achieved, and in some cases, to attain that ripple effect, the program must have a physical symbol like a modest office that the participants can identify as a rallying point.

It is in this physical symbol where participants can get information about sports and physical education (like a sports library) and where, for example, a modest strength training gym can be established and maintained by the community itself. It is a place where kids can go to watch sports programs on television and tapes of sports events.

I have seen some similar structures and programs in Australia where the community and the local government join forces to maintain a sports and recreation park. It is at that level and with sports and recreation as the focal point that genuine people empowerment emanates.

When communities organize for sports, it is very likely they will organize for other societal concerns like peace and order, cleanliness and other day-to-day concerns and even for such objectives as ensuring honest, orderly and peaceful elections.