IPINASA ng House Committee on Youth and Sports Development ang House Bill 6420 (“Philippine Indigenous Games Preservation Act of 2017”) na naglalayong mapreserba ang mga katutubong laro o paligsahan ng bansa.
Binibigyan ng mandato ang National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), sa pakikipagtulungan ng Department of Education (DepEd) na gumawa ng mga hakbang upang mapanatili ang Indigenous Games sa bansa, kabilang ang kanilang responsibilidad ang:
- inclusion in the appropriate part of the curriculum in the basic education system of the schools; 2. the preservation of such games either by documentary or other useful means; at 3. the holding of regular demonstration of such games in national events and appropriate school activities.”
Pagkakalooban ng inisyal na P20 milyon na pondo ang programa na kukunin sa General Appropriations Act.
Ayon kay Rep. Salvador Belaro (Party-list, 1-Ang Edukasyon), may-akda ng HB 6420, mayaman ang Pilipinas sa cultural tradition na unti-unting nagbabago bunsod ng pagdating ng digital modernization.
“Part of our rich cultural heritage are indigenous games such as sepak takraw and the like. The bill seeks to preserve our indigenous games to ensure that future generations of Filipinos can sill enjoy them,” ani Belaro.
Sa pagdinig ng komite, sinabi ni Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Butch Ramirez na suportado ng ahensiya ang panukala.
Ayon kay Ramirez, sa kanilang pagupo sa PSC, ang Indigenous Games ang isa kanilang prioridad na siya ring habilin sa kanila ng Pangulong Duterte.
“Under Commissioner Charles Maxey, we conducted Indigenous Games in Davao, South Cotabato and Ifugao,” pahayag ni Ramirez.
-BERT DE GUZMAN