FIVE major combat sports will be disputed in Laro ng Lahi-Ifugao set in the municipality of Lagawe over the weekend.
Boxing, wushu, wrestling, weightlifting, and taekwondo are featured in the all-women event set July 8-9.
A total of 400 participants are seeing action in the two-day meet to be held at the Lagawe Town Plaza and Village Park.
“The project will support the grassroots program of Ifugao and mandated by the Philippine Commission on Women na laging nagpapa-alala na huwag kalimutan ang indigenous sports,” PSC Commissioner Bong Coo said yesterday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
“Since tinutulungan namin ang Ifugao sa grassroots program at maraming IP (Indigenous People) sa kanila, so kinausap namin sila kung puwede kaming magsagawa ng IP sports du’n.”
The meet is being held in coordination with Ifugao Gov. Jerry U. Dalipog and Executive Assistant Agustin Calya-en.
Coo added in the public sports program backed by San Miguel Corp., PSC, Milo, Philippine Olympic Committee, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. that ethnic cultural games will likewise be part of the calendar of events.
The cultural sports, nine in all, are labba race, guyyudan (tug of war), kadang-kadang, dopop di babuy, manbayu, hanggul, huktingan, bultung, dopap di manuk.
As an added incentive, the provincial government of Ifugao initiated on its own a coaching certification on technical officials who are going to participate.
The local government is also in the process of building a covered court to house their local athletes.
