SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro (PIA) – Preparations are on the roll for the upcoming Indigenous People (IP) Youth Sports Fest in the municipality of Sablayan scheduled in November.

Spearheaded by the Philippine Army's 203rd Infantry Brigade, a Province-wide Technical Working Group (TWG) comprising representatives from the Provincial and Municipal Government Units, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Provincial Task Force – End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC), IP Mandatory Representatives, IP Organizations, Former Rebels, and the Seventh-day Adventist, and provincial counterparts of National Government Agencies (NGAs), was formed to oversee the overall planning and execution for the said events.

Captain April Riza H. Laput of the 203rd Infantry Brigade explained that the IP Youth Sports Fest aims to showcase the talents and skills of the IP youth in the province to other communities, “Layunin nito na ma-expose ang kakayahan ng mga katutubo. Kasi aside from Sports Fest, ibibida rin ang products ng Occidental Mindoro para maipamalas kung ano ang mayroon ang mga Mangyan sa mga partners sa Southern Luzon at maipakilala ang mga Mangyan sa labas ng Mindoro - their talents, skills, products.”

The event will also serve as a selection process as winners for each sports category, will represent the province at the Southern Luzon IP sports fest.

Captain Ersel Filipinas of the 68th Infantry Battalion emphasized that the activity is one of the government’s efforts to empower the IP youth as they are one of the vulnerable sectors in the community, “Kailangan natin silang mabigyang-pansin at ma-develop ang camaraderie sa kanila.”

Currently, the TWG is working on the shortlisting of participating IP youth and the games that will be included in the sports fest. Cpt. Laput highlighted that sepak takraw, an IP sport, will be one of the games for the event. (DSG/PIA Mimaropa-OccMin)