CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines – The Philippines might yet host its first international Olympics in 2015 – for tribal folk from all over the world.
This, as 18 Aetas, Mangyans and Dumagats are in the thick of preparation to represent the country in the first-ever Filipino-initiated Asian Tribal Olympics to be held at the Ranau Village in Sabah, Malaysia from Sept. 16 to 18.
“It is the first step towards our plan to hold the first international tribal Olympics five years from now, in 2015 at Clark,” said Guy Hilbero, founder of the Mabalacat Tribal Association (MATA) and tourism chief of the municipality of Mabalacat in this province.
In November last year, the country held its first national tribal sports competition in this Freeport, bordered by Mt. Pinatubo mountain ranges that serves as the Aeta’s ancestral domain.
The 18 tribal folk that would represent the Philippines in the competitions in Malaysia were the winners of the national tribal Olympics last year, under the sponsorship of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB) and the Philippine Soft Tennis Association (PSTA), and other groups.
The same group initiated the coming Asian Tribal Olympics, and plans to hold the Asian games yearly in preparation for the 2015 international competitions.
It was arranged as a partnership project with Malaysian sports officials.
“The game categories are such that tribal folk from other countries would also be skilled in it, such as archery, spear throwing, and running,” Hilbero said.
He said there were plans to invite representatives from major tribal groups worldwide, particularly those in the African continent, for the International Tribal Olympics.
The Philippine representatives to the Asian Tribal Olympics are Aetas Dumlao Naval, Jimmy and his brother Manalo Ablong who will participate in tribal archery; Aetas Abel Nabal and Junior Ocampo and Mangyan Apollo Rinangyan in archery assault; Aetas Pilo Ablong and Ronnie Cabalit and Dumagat Ricardo Turgo in tree-top archery, and Mangyans Reynaldo Panagsagan, Jerry Manalo and Dumagat Marlon Luna in spear throwing.
In the male 150-meter sprint, the Philippine representatives are Panagsagan and Abel Malinao and Aeta Jessie Rogando. Dumagat Manilyn Ritlao, Mangyan Jonalyn Masangkay and Aeta Helen Candule will compete in the female category.
Since most of the athletes were born in their respective villages, no one had birth certificates so special negotiations had to be made for their passports, according to Hilbero.
The first Asian competitions in Sabah will be formally opened by top Malaysian sports officials led by Johnson Koh, as well as PSTA president Jeff Antonio Tamayo Jr.
“September will be a historical event for the world’s tribal folk because of the holding of the first Asian tribal games to usher in an international Olympics for them,” Tamayo said.