GALAW Pilipinas, the Department’s National Calisthenics Exercise Program, was launched recently and it will be part of the daily exercise routine in schools and community learning centers.
The said exercise video is a four-minute calisthenics routine that shall contribute to the 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity prescribed daily for children of 5-17 years of age.
Secretary Leonor Briones said that DepEd launched Galaw Pilipinas as "as a response to the impact of the pandemic to our learners' reduced physical activities that affected their overall health. Our role in promoting physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle among our learners has become even more relevant and essential. One avenue of promoting physical fitness among learners is by doing calisthenics."
The routine was inspired by simple steps inspired by Philippine folk dances, festival movements, and arnis stances in recognition as the national martial art and sport.
During limited face-to-face learning, the routine can be performed by learners and the entire school community in every flag-raising ceremony, flag retreat, before the start of the class, or any school-initiated activity. Meanwhile, under the distance learning modality, this shall be performed by all learners as stipulated in the weekly home learning plan provided by teachers.
To ensure inclusivity, the intensity of the execution of Galaw Pilipinas shall vary according to the type of learners and their essential stages. The steps and movements may be modified according to the needs and contexts of learners with disabilities.