Aging well

“I’m old, not obsolete.”

- Arnold Schwarzenegger,

“Terminator: Genisys”

The elderly are often the most excluded, most forgotten, most cast-aside members of society. No matter the magnitude of their contribution to the community, no matter how many children they have raised to success, once they hit the halfway mark of human life, they seem to lose value to society. They are no longer considered as participants in living. Seniors are relegated to spectators on the sidelines. No longer.

The Philippine Masters Games Association has put together the first “Tandang Pinoy” games, which it hopes will grow to be more inclusive for citizens who are 40, 50, 60 years of age and above. The event launched with a short run, an easy obstacle course and padel. Next year, team sports like basketball and other individual sports will be added. It will symbolically show that the elderly still are capable and able to function and give to society at large.

“We hope to show that the masters and seniors can still be competitive and able,” says founder Atty. Al Agra, who is also president of the Philippine Obstacle Sports Federation (POSF). “They are an important sector that we can give the opportunity to show what they can still do.”

Naturally, there are things that the elderly can no longer do, and what they are able to do may have certain limitations. But the point is to encourage inclusion, participation and a healthy lifestyle. A little can go a long, long way. Eventually, the movement will spread all over the country. Right now, the focus is to do things the right way.

“The aim is to make the movement as widespread as the Batang Pinoy and Palarong Pambansa,” Agra says. “Since we’re not under schools’ supervision, we will partner with local government units. This can be a big help to the economy.”

The main difference with games for masters and seniors is that the absence of organizations allows for any individual to join on their own. Though some sports are still under their respective national sports associations, most aren’t. If you have the means and capability, anyone can be a part of national and international meets. Perhaps that’s what the democratization of sports means.