Filipino Pride: Sportsmanship and Politics Peaking through your Psyche

Report by Cenon Pineda | Graphics by Corrine Moscare | Layout by Nikka Gutierrez

Do you remember how the bustling streets carry dust that flow through your face while the local parokya sing as they go with their procession. The paliga of your baranggay, remains as the nostalgic part of your childhood, seeing players who think they’d one day be in the PBA playing at huge arenas. How fun is it to be with the memories you cling on, the past that resonates with your present and just dreaming that one day it’ll be your future.

The local Filipino thinking an optimist frame of narrative that keeps you going; simple, clean, and honest that’s how the culture works isn’t it? Well… of course it’s not the hypocritical view is long overdue and let’s try to talk about something realistic and crude rather than sugar coating the beliefs that we know are inherent with the mindset that us Filipinos have with regards to sports.

Buwakaw Mentality

“Pasa mo na yan, kanina mo pa hawak bola dika naman nakakashoot eh…”

Takaw diba, when the highly competitive nature of the Filipinos meets the illusion of being Jordan, it’s highly inevitable that you’d be able to touch the ball in a single game. Transcending from your nearest kanto that has a court to the largest arenas of the Philippines this concept is what sometimes brings the greatest players to their downfall. Imagine being engaged in a team player game and playing alone with just one position, how narcissistic could you be to have an idea that you’d be able to pull-off something with that magnitude.

Add a bit of flair to it as if being greedy isn’t enough put in a tad bit of pride in it, be so sure of yourself that you think listening to your teammates is a foolish play and that the  coach’s opinion is no better. That is if you dream to see the worst of it, be the egotistical archetype that people think of when they are the so-called the best  but seem to lose the whole essence of being a sportsman.

Buwaya: Inside and Out

Corruption in the government is not new, but so with sports politics, pakikisama, panggugulang, and panghuhusga all concepts alike are the recipe for a corrupted mind. Be it in the field or the senate taking advantage of players and talents that lack knowledge of the game are often being put into risky situations where the people in power know that they’d be on the higher ground. When you have so much skill and talent that you’re given brand deals and sponsorships make sure that Beelzebub isn’t the one holding that contract or the pen is not man handed by a selfish manager. For if you’re dream is to one day succeed in the Philippines’ industry of sports you’re highly better off spending your days at a pub since if the economy is continually going down the drain so is the eco system of athleticism in the country.

 Ang gusto ko lamang sa buhay ay

MAGING ATLETA!

In the field of palakasan it’s a literal palakasan of influence and strength, knowing many people in power is a trump card and tantamount to being talented and gifted. So widen your connections because in a country run by clowns pursuing one’s dream and being a pride of your countrymen is foolish well it was once cool and honorable but is now used by our greatest politicians to capitalize their propaganda of a successful Philippines. If you're a victim I sympathize, if you’re one of them, know that everything will come for a price and when your pride and dignity is at stake then you’ll realize that the honor owed has already been paid.