DepEd promotes Filipino games

A campaign to promote traditional Filipino games in public as well as private schools was launched yesterday by the Department of Education (DepEd), the Philippine Sports Commission and other agencies in a bid to counter the negative effects of the video game and computer game craze among schoolchildren.

Under the Larong Pinoy campaign, the DepEd, PSC, the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA), Museo Pambata and leading consumer goods firm Johnson and Johnson are promoting traditional Filipino games such as luksong tinik, sipa, tumbang preso and patintero.

"I am all for tradition," Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said at campaign launch at the Museo Pambata in Manila yesterday. "That is why I strongly believe in a campaign that aims to inspire the revival of traditional Filipino games. Hopefully, this campaign would help educate more of the young children about the benefits they will gain from playing traditional games."

Lapus said that the Larong Pinoy campaign launch was timely, in view of the results of a recent survey indicating that a large percentage of the recreational time of schoolchildren is spent indoors and in front of computers or TV screens as they play video games.

He said that, with the promotion of traditional Filipino games, Filipino schoolchildren can be steered towards more strenuous and healthier physical activity during their free time.

As part of the campaign, Johnson’s Baby Powder will sponsor a nationwide run of school and barangay palaro (games), which will provide a venue where young children and students may participate in competitions featuring the various traditional Filipino games.

These palaro will engage kids to learn and play traditional outdoor Filipino games and encourage healthy competition among them.

"Traditional outdoor Filipino games are not only a good source of exercise but can also help develop children’s gross motor skills," child psychologist and pre-school co-owner Melissa Fernandez-Abaya said.

The Larong Pinoy Palaro spearheaded by Johnson’s Baby Powder aims to advocate the revival of traditional Filipino games and promote the benefits of outdoor play for children, Johnson & Johnson Phils. Inc. president and managing director Zinnia Rivera said: "As part of our objective of nurturing for the Filipino family, Johnson’s Baby Powder fully supports the revival of outdoor Filipino games where today’s children can learn more about traditional games, develop new skills, and have fun all at the same time."

The Larong Pinoy campaign invites children from schools and neighborhoods to participate in the nationwide school and barangay palaro. The first of these games kicks off at the SM Mall of Asia on Feb. 25.