AFTER the successful 2nd Inter-Public School volleyball tournament of the Philippine Sports Commission a couple of weeks ago, there is no stopping the commission in making sports accessible for all.
Last weekend, the commission staged the Children’s Games in Padada, Davao del Sur. It was participated in by 300 children from several parishes and communities.
Aside from focusing on helping national athletes hone their skills, the accessibility of sports programs throughout the country also remains one of their top priorities. And this is sustained by the Children’s Games.
The first Children’s Games was held several years back during the first stint of chairman William “Butch” Ramirez at the PSC during former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Upon his return to the commission in 2016, reviving it was top on the list and on May 23, 2017, the Children’s Games was revived in Davao City amidst the conflict in Marawi City.
The Children’s Games is an avenue for children to play and have fun. This is aligned with the children’s right to play as articulated under Article 31 in the universal declaration of the Rights of the Child, “Children have the right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of cultural, artistic and other recreational activities.” The Children’s Games is the commission’s concrete response in addressing this for the Filipino children.
After the Davao Children’s Games, UNESCO got interested in it considering that only in this country that such initiatives are organized by the government. In other countries, it is done by civic organizations. This is truly inspiring to know.
Before the Children’s Games in Padada, there were already several Children’s Game conducted across the archipelago, from Mindanao to Visayas and Luzon. There are still a lot of Children’s Games in the pipeline for PSC allowing for more Filipino children a chance to enjoy each other’s company through play.
It is such a privilege to be a part of the revival of the Children’s Games. Knowing that it still is ongoing up to now and targeting more children in the country, evokes a genuine pride and happiness in me.
Now, more than ever, we can say that there is truly hope for a better Philippines by utilizing sports as an avenue for unity and nation building, and it begins by recognizing the basic rights of everyone, especially the rights of the children.