IN what could be a big boost to the country’s campaign in the 32nd Cambodia Southeast Asian Games, the Filipino ethnic martial art of arnis and obstacle sports have been included in the regional meet slated May 5 to 16, 2023 in Phnom Penh and the northwestern city of Siem Reap.
It marks the first time that arnis, which made its debut as a demo sport in the 1991 Manila SEA Games, and obstacle sport, which had its maiden SEA Games appearance in the 2019 Philippine edition, will be played outside the country for the first time in the SEA Games.
Both sports were major contributors to the country’s overall success in the 2019 30th SEA Games, with arnis delivering 14 gold, four silver and two bronze medals out of 20 events while obstacle sports had six gold, three silver and one bronze medals.
“We in Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation are very proud and very excited that we are finally seeing arnis on a SEA Games stage beyond our shores,” Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, the PEKAF president and chairman, said in a statement over the weekend
“We have long been promoting arnis on the international stage, and working for it to be included as a regular sport in the SEA Games. And with the spectacular arnis tournament in the 30th SEA Games, I think our Southeast Asian neighbors had a great chance to gain deeper respect and appreciation for the sport,” Zubiri added. “We are finally getting to showcase and celebrate this great sport outside our own country.”
Based on the data issued by the Philippine Olympic Committee, arnis will have 12 events — six each for men and women — while obstacle sport will have four events — two each for men and women.
Zubiri said there will team and individual anyo (forms, non-traditional weapon) events in both men’s and women’s divisions.
There will also be live stick combat for the men’s and women’s bantamweight and lightweight divisions, and padded stick play in both bantamweight and lightweight classes.
But the PEKAF will have to select in which events it will field entries since POC President Abraham “Bambol’ Tolentino had announced that the Cambodian organizers intend to limit the participation of other countries to 70 percent in combat sports.
Philippine Obstacle Sports Federation President Atty. Al Agra did not reveal what events will be on tap in Cambodia but said the first of three national team time trials for the SEA Games had been conducted.
Zubiri said that PEKAF will conduct national team qualifiers in the National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao in November and December.
