PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Philippine Traditional Games and

Sports

MODULE 1

Mga Laro ng Lahi

Name:
______________________________________________________________________________

Course:
______________________________________________________________________________

Teacher: MR. ZEDY E.GULLES LPT

INTRODUCTION:
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While History is the story of integration and disintegration of
human aggregates, Culture has been the greatest integrating force
in men. The first characteristic of the culture is continuity. It comes
from the past, adjusts itself to the present and moves forward to
shape the future
This subject aims to present the definitive list of Philippine folk
games from past to present. It caters the development of Philippine
Traditional games with focus on its history, cultural implication,
characteristics and game classification.
Filipinos are known for their fondness in playing games, one
index to their sociability. Games serve to bring members of the
family together. Games are one aspect in strengthening the ties that
binds the family. Also, games can represent one’s ethnic group.
Thru games, the culture and tradition of one’s region will be
presented.
Laro is the Filipino generic term for all forms of recreational
play. There is no specific term for competitive games. Filipinos say
“Laro Tayo” means Let’s Play, which became one of the reasons why
we have the term “Laron ng Lahi”.
Philippine games are classified into four: Animals Participating
in Man’s Games, Ordinary Games, Jokes and Trickster Games and
Formula Games. And in performing/playing Philippine traditional
games there are preliminary games.
Traditional Filipino games or indigenous games in the
Philippines (Tagalog: Laro ng Lahi) are games commonly played by
children, usually using native materials or instruments. In
the Philippines, due to limited resources of toys for Filipino
children, they usually invent games without the need of anything
but the players themselves. Their games' complexity arises from
their flexibility to think and act.
ADVOCATES:
Dickie Aguado, Executive Director of Magna Kultura
Foundation (a Philippine NGO for Arts and Culture), confirms that
the Traditional Filipino Games are "very much alive in the
Philippines". Despite what some say about Filipino Street Games
vanishing in Philippine society due to computers and technology
that is not actually true? In many urban and rural areas, a great
majority of Filipino children still play outdoor street games, as most
of them are still unable to own technology. Games such
as Patintero, Tumbang Preso, Piko, Sipa, Turumpo, and many
others, are still played daily in neighborhoods. One of the main
reasons why some children stop playing Filipino games is because
Western sports activities (i.e., basketball or volleyball) are more
prominently organized in local Barangays and in schools. With a
lack of organized sports activities for Filipino street games, Filipino
children can only adapt to modern society by quitting their
childhood games.
Games are a universal phenomenon. Adult and children alike
maintain their own kind of games played at certain points in their
lives. In its early development, it is noted that gaming is intended
primarily for amusement and played whenever suitable
opportunities arise. Scholars assess that games are frequently
simplified and are secularized ceremonies of older culture.
Comprehensive cross-cultural studies of games have brought
us to the point of identifying these remnants of older cultures. Most
of the researches on the games have given us knowledge on the
origins of the games, how these were institutionalized and how
these developed through time.
Games among the people of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao
share a commonality. The games selected here are traditionally
distributed all over the country and played by both sexes, at certain
ages. Toys and implements used in the games are also presented.
The Filipino ‘Laro’

            In  the book ‘A study of Philippine Games’ (1980), author

Mellie Leandicho Lopez noted that ‘laro’ is the Filipino generic term
for all forms of  recreational play. The closest word term for the
game is the ‘palaro’ referring to a group of special occasion games
that take place during wakes, festivals and town fiestas. This would
also refer to games that are competitive in nature where each
contest is always brought to a conclusion.

Major studies of games pointed out that traditional games are

shared communally within Philippine context. The same situation
exists in neighboring countries, especially Indonesia.

It is also commonly known that games play an important part

in the learning process of the child. This educational influence of
games on the physical, mental, and moral vitality of a child is a
factor why games in the country are still being practiced and
observed by the general public.

In this connection, the family plays a very important role in

the transmission of traditional games on to their children. The
family, specifically the parents, reinforce the child’s learning
process. Psychologically, it helps the child in building up himself to
use all possibilities that will make him grow normal. Lopez also
observed that the normal child’s natural interests lead him to
different types of games at different periods of his development.

The family is a social agent that builds the development of

each member of the household. As traditionally practiced in the
Philippines and the neighboring countries, children learn from their
parents. It is the obligation of the parents to help their children
learn social customs, standards and values of his culture. This
system is also shared by other members of the family, relatives,
and, by and large, the members of the community, speeding up the
learning process of any child. Also, with this frame of attitude,
preservation of tradition is enhanced, and the children benefit from
it. It is in this process that whatever they learned is right away
integrated into their consciousness.
 Malay (1956) pointed out that ‘Filipinos like to play game,’ and
this is observed true. Traditional and high-tech games are
simultaneously played around the country. As part of Filipino
pastime, especially in the rural areas and during moonlit nights,
the neighborhood gathers and shares games in the plazas, open
areas, and main roads, trying different sets of games and
interacting with each other as part of their recreation, socialization,
and relaxation after a hard day’s work.

Traditional Games - a symbol of our national identity and

pride.

Indigenous games widely known as “Laro ng Lahi” are Hispanic in

origin. It is not only played by youngsters but also by anybody who
love childish humor. While these games are recreational in nature,
they are also used to test an individual or group’s strength,
endurance and dexterity.

Indigenous games are classified into individual, dual and team

games

Individual games are those played by single player while dual

games are played by two players. All games are started by a
procedure undertaken by the players themselves. The procedure
may differ but all them are called “ Manuhan”.

Manuhan may be done in different ways. Here are some of

them:

1. Tihaya o Taob – (top or bottom side up) wherein a clam shell,

wooden shoe, leaf or coin is used.

2. Bunotan ng Patpat” – (Drawing Sticks) the one who draws the

short one becomes the first to play. The one who draws the
longest one is the last player or becomes the “It” (Taya).
 3. Gansal o Pares – One player picks up in one hand as many
tokens (seeds, shells, pebbles) he can hold. He then asks his
opponent to guess whether the total number is odd or even. If
the opponent guesses correctly, he wins and has the right to
play first.

4. Toe-line – Each player throws his “pamato” from a certain

point agreed upon at the beginning of the game towards the
toe-line. Whoever is the nearest to the toe-line plays first.

PIKO (HOPSCOTCH)

Piko is a popular game played in yards or alleys. A geometric

figure is drawn on the ground and provided with divisions or
compartments. Piko is unbelievably old. When ancient Roman cities
were dug up, drawings of hopscotch lines were found on the stone
floors.

Everywhere, it is played for one aim to win a place to call one’s

own. In the Philippines the game is also known as “kipkip”,
“pikuba”, “laban” and “segking”.
Here are examples of single or dual indig- enous games. Study the
instructions carefully be- fore you attempt to play the game.

Preparations:

1. Draw the playing court on the ground with a sharp stick. (Five
rectangles arranged vertically with rectangles 3 and 5 divided
equally (3a and 3b) and (5a and 5b) and (a half moon for no. 6) A
horizontal line is also drawn on the 4th rectangle to be used for
manuhan purposes.

Note.

A piece of chalk, charcoal or a roll of masking tape may be used if

the court will be drawn on a stone or cemented floor.

2. Make available flat pieces of stones which may be used as

“pamato” A brick chips, the bottom piece of a clay pot or a smooth
chunk of window glass maybe used, too.

How to play the game:

1. Stand in front of rectangle no. 1

2. Take turns in tossing your “pamato” to the dividing line in

rectangle no. 4. The player who tosses his pamato closest to
this line, plays first. This is called “manohan”.

3. If you are the first player, toss your pamato to rectangle no. 1.
Neither the player nor the pamato

4. Start hopping or skipping through the compartments. Avoid

stepping on the part where your “pamato” is.
 5. Land on both feet when you reach compartment no. 6.
Landing in both feet is only allowed in this compartment and
in other areas which you may earn after successfully finishing
the game. These areas will be called your home or “bahay”. No
other player can step on this are.

6. Pick your “pamato” on your way home starting from rectangle

no. 5.

7. After you have played in the entire rectangle, toss your

pamato strong enough from compartment. No. 6 to pass over
rectangle no. 1. Hop again passing no. 5 to no. 1 them jump
over your

“pamato”.

8. Pick up your pamato and with your back turned against the
rectangle play area, toss your pamato . Towards the direction
of the play area. The compartment where the pamato lands
becomes your home or “bahay”. You may write your name on
your “bahay”.

9. Start the game all over again without passing through the
homes won by players. The owner of the home or “bahay” is
the only privileged player to land on his home or “bahay”.

10. Play the game all over again until all compartments have
been won as homes. The player with the most number of
homes, wins.

TATSING
“Tatsing” is a game enjoyed by youngsters in the backyard.
“Tatsing” comes from the English word touching.

The objective of the game is to hit the bottle caps out of the square
with one’s stone or “pamato” from the tow line. The player, who hits
the most number of bottle caps out of the square, wins.
The bottle caps may be substituted with marbles, rubber bands and
coins.

ACTIVITY 1

1. The two games presented may be played alone or with

another player. Try to play the two games by yourself

2. Describe yourself while playing alone

3. What did you get in playing alone? Why?

ACTIVITY 2

1. Seek a partner or playmate to play with. Who won?

2. Did you play the games well? Why? Why not?

3. How did you and your playmate show your sportsmanship

after the game?

DAMA (CHECKERS)
This is another familiar game and familiar pastime.that uses skill,
usually played by males 10 years old and above, and played either
indoors or outdoors. The game is played on a small wooden board
with 10 squares and 14 end points. The checkers (dama) pieces are
comprised of 24 pitsas made from pieces of small bamboo, stones,
or bottles caps, with the players having 12 pieces each. The players
position the 12 pieces of pitsa on the end points of the diagram. The
players move alternately from from point to point. Like chess, the
game ends once the opponents pitsas are captured or literally
eaten, especially the dama or queen

SUNGKA
For as long as anyone can remember, there has always been a
sungka board in the Filipino homes. The sungka board is a small
treasure-the older it is, the more precious, it sits on a side table
or a top a bench, waiting to be played.

SUNGKA BOARD

A shallow boat
made of solid
wood at both ends of, which are large deep bowls carved out of
the wood. The whole length of the boat is lined with seven
smaller bowls carved in pairs.

PROPS Pebbles, "Sigay" or shells seeds

How to play:
 1. Sungka is always played by two people.

2. Each players fills up his seven smaller bowls with 7

"Sigay" each. 

3.  Both players start at the same time.

4. The object of the game is to put as many "Sigay" as

possible in the large bowl as to cause the opponent to
lose one or two of his smaller bowls in the succeeding
games which means him losses.

5. If at the end of 15 minutes, nobody has been declared as

winner, the game will be called off. Each player counts
the number of "Sigay" in the opponent's large bowl.

6. The player with the most number of "Sigay" wins.

KADANG KADANG (BAMBOO)

This is a very popular recreational game in the country.

Several players may participate in this game. The equipment
 needed is two pieces of wooden stilt with a stepladder, the
height of which is 30.48 centimeter from the ground. The
principle of the game is to walk on stilt from a starting line to
the finish line. The length to be traveled is 100 meters.

Rules of the Game

1. At the signal "Get Set," the players stand at the starting line with
their stilts.

2. At the signal "Go," the players mount their stilt and start
walking.

3. The first player that reaches the finish line without getting off the
stilts wins.

4. A player losses if he get off the stilts twice before reaching the
finish line, or gets off the stilt after two steps.

PALO SEBO (GREASED BAMBOO POLE

CLIMBING)
Palo-Sebo is commonly played during "Fiestas." The equipment
needed is a 10-meter bamboo pole with a 10.16-centimeter
diameter, small bag, a prize and lard or grease.

It is an individual or single game. The pole is painted with lard or

grease from top to bottom and a small bag filled with prizes is tied
on the top end of the pole before it is set to stand. The objective of
the game is to get the bag full of prizes by climbing the bamboo
pole. A competitor is given only one chance to climb. The game ends
once the prizes are taken.

TUMBANG PRESO (PRESOHAN)

This is a very common game among the youth all over the
country, played in backyards, parks or even in streets with less
vehicular traffic. The equipment needed are empty milk can, slipper
or a piece of flat stone as "pamato."

For the purpose of making the game enjoyable and exciting, the
composition of players should not be more than 9. The principle
involved is to hit and knock down the milk can with the "pamato,"
and for the IT to put back the can inside a small circle a few meters
away from the toe-line. When a player is tag while re-covering his
pamato, he becomes thde IT.

Rules of the Game

1. An IT, the one to guard the milk can is chosen by throwing the
"pamato" to the toe line by all the players. Whoever player whose
"pamato" is farthest from the toe-line is the IT. 
2. The hitters will line up at the back of the toe-line and at the sign
of the IT, game is started.

3. The "pamato" must be retrieved immediately once the can is

knocked down, otherwise once the IT has placed the can inside the
circle, the one tagged becomes the IT.

4. When the can is hit and went off the circle but remains standing,
the IT has the right to tag the hitter once the hitter leaves the toe-
line.

5. The can maybe kicked or knocked down under situation No. 4.

6. If a hitter is not able to retrieve his "pamato," the others can save
him by hitting the can
Do you know that these indigenous games