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Traditional Filipino Games or traditional games in the Philippines
 

Are games commonly played by children, usually using native materials or instruments. In the Philippines, due to limited resources of toys of Filipino children, they usually come up on inventing games without the need of anything but the players themselves. With the flexibility of a real human to think and act makes the game more interesting and challenging.

A few decades ago, kids used to gather in the streets or in their neighborhood playground to play their favorite Larong Pinoy games like piko, patintero, taguan, tumbang preso, siato, luksong tinik, etc. These has been their regular and popular pastimes, as well as the favorite games of their parents and grandparents until new and modern forms of entertainment has taken over the interests of young kids.

Dickie Aguado, Executive Director of Magna Kultura Foundation, confirms that the Traditional Filipino Games are very much alive in Philippines. It is not true that the Filipino Street Games are no longer played, as some would say that it has vanished in Philippine society. 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 expensive high-tech gadgets. Games like Patintero, Tumbang Preso, Piko, Sipa, Turumpo, and many others, are very much alive and played daily in the neighborhood. The primary reason why some children stop playing the Pinoy games is because Western sports activities (i.e., basketball or volleyball) are more prominently organized in local Barangays and in schools. With lack of organized sports activities for Filipino street games, children would just move on leaving the games of their childhood in the streets.

Nonetheless, the Filipino Traditional Games are very much alive and are still played in the country. Because it is a tradition for Filipinos to play in a bigger and spacious area, most games are usually played outside the house. Some games are played or held during town fiestas in the provinces.

There are over forty (40) known Filipino games, and many of these are as challenging and competitive as Western games. To cite a few, Filipino Traditional Games include the following:

Patintero  

Patintero (block the enemy game) - try to cross my line without letting me touch or catch you - there's five members (5) in each group. Each member of the group who is it stands on the water lines. The perpendicular line in the middle allows the it designated on that line to intersect the lines occupied by the it that the parallel line intersects, thus increasing the chances of the runners to be trapped.even only one(1) member of a group is tagged the whole group will be the "it". Patakaran ng Larong Patintero: Game Mechanics in Tagalog.

This game is played by boys and girls, ages 5 to 10 years old in mixed teams. Adults though tend to rank themselves according to sex. There are two sets of this game. One requires six players to a team while the other needs eight players. The game is played outdoor at anytime of the day and at night when the moon is out.

The game is prepared on the ground by drawing a rectangular field (usually five to six meter with four parallel lines inside) using either water, stick and charcoal on the ground to define the boundary. To play, one set of taggers or the 'it' situate themselves inside the lines of the rectangle while the runners will try to get through both ends of the field and back without being tagged or blocked. When caught, they right away change roles. The group that has lesser tagged incidents is declared winner. The games is widespread in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Tumbang Preso

Tumbang preso or presohan (tumba-patis, known term in most Visayan regions) is one popular Filipino street game and, is, indeed, commonly seen in most Filipino movies and TV series.

Like other Filipino traditional games, members take the following rules: one as the “taya”, someone who takes the rule of a-player-at-stake and holds the responsibility of the Lata(tin can), and; the two others as the players striking. The game is performed by having the players a “pamato” (which is ones own slipper) used for striking the tin that is held beside the taya.

As to how the game cycles, the taya, is obliged to catch another player to take over his position of running after the tin that keeps from throwing away by the strikes of the players. Nevertheless, the taya is only privileged to do so only if the player is holding on his way a pamato and when the tin is on its upright position. Hence, running after another player is keeping an eye to the tin can’s position. As for the players, they have their whole time striking the tin can and running away from the taya keeping themselves safe with their pamato since making the tin fell down helps another player from recovering. Instance like having everyone had their turns over is one big climax of the game that leads them to panic since case is that taya has all his rights to capture whether the player have a hold of their pamato or not.

However, mechanics also give each side privileges. With the roadway or streets as the area being performed, the taya take its place on one side held its tin centered on the ground while on the other end is bound by a line that limits the player when throwing. Breaking rules to the players give way for the taya to have his overturn, like: stepping on or outside the boundary line when throwing; kicking the tin; striking the tin without having oneself reaching the line; or even touching it.

In other versions, especially those in Visayan regions and Southern Luzon, is of complexity for the part of the taya. The latter has to make the tin can stand upright together with its own “pamato” on the top of it which also adds up to the mechanics of the game. The tendency is that even when the taya has already made everything stood up but when the slipper will fall from the tin, he is not allowed catching anybody unless he hurriedly put it back to its position.

Luksong-Baka    

Luksong-Baka - jump over the cow - A popular variation of Luksong Tinik, one player crouches while the other players jump over him/her. The crouching player gradually stands up as the game progresses, making it harder for the other players to jump over him/her.Then he will be the taya if he dangled it the baka.It will repeat again and again until the players declare the player or until the players decide to stop the game.

  

Luksong-Tinik

Luksong-tinik - jump over the thorns - Two players serve as the base of the tinik (thorn) by putting their right or left feet together (soles touching gradually building the tinik). A starting point is set by all the players, giving enough runway for the players to achieve a higher jump, so as not to hit the tinik. Players of the other team start jumping over the tinik, followed by the other team members. mary antoinette ybanez 5

This is a very common game played largely by girls ages between 7 to 12, though, in some areas, boys join in. This game is played outside with players divided into sets, comprising of the mother ('inay) and her child ('anak'). The 'it' are two players who seat facing each other, stacking their feet and hands together, gradually increasing the height while the opponents jump over it. Any 'child' player who touches any part of this hurdle is saved by the 'mother' who would jump on the former's behalf. If she, too, fails to accomplish the feat, both 'mother' and 'child' becomes the 'it' who would assume the seated position.

Piko

Piko - hopscotch - The players stand behind the edge of a box, and each should throw their cue ball. The first to play is determined depending on the players' agreement (e.g. nearest to the moon, wings or chest). Whoever succeeds in throwing the cue ball nearest to the place that they have agreed upon will play first. The next nearest is second, and so on.

The succession of turns is determined by aiming markers (usually a flat stone or a fruit peeling) at the center of the diagram. The player whose marker lands closest to the center will go first, followed by the second-closest, then the third-closest, and so on.
The diagram varies. Usually, the more players there are, the more complex the diagram and the sections are numbered or labeled to indicate the correct order in which the players are to hop. The first player starts by throwing his marker at the initial section. He then hops onto the section and kicks his marker to the next designated section. The player continues this process until he gets to the final section. Some games require the player to retrace his hops back to the start or for players to hop across other players' paths. At any time a player's marker touches a line, or when any part of his body touches a line, he surrenders the turn to the next player. The first player to complete the diagram wins.
Some games have another part after the first, apparently to extend playing time. This part has the players looking towards the sky then throwing his marker on the diagram. Without looking, he must walk across the diagram to fetch his marker without touching any lines. This stage is intentionally more difficult to give the other players a chance to catch up.

Bahay-Bahayan

A role-playing game where children act as members of an imaginary family, sometimes to the extent that one of them becomes the family "pet." They then act out various household situations such as dinner, going to mass, and the like.

Jack en Poy

The local version of "rock-paper-scissors".Though the spelling seems American in influence, the game is really Japanese in origin (with the lyrics in the Japanese version sounding very similar to the "gibberish" sung in the Philippines).

Palo Sebo

Palo Sebo (climbing a greased bamboo contest) - It traces its origins to a similar game widely played in the Visayas that had men racing up a greased coconut tree. It is also similar to the 'Pinang' game of Java, Indonesia. The game is played by young males and generally done in an open space during fiestas and other celebrations. A long polished bamboo pole greased with oil is planted on the ground with the prize placed at the topmost of the pole. All players, whether individually or as a team, try to climb the pole for the prize. The prize, usually cash, is increased depending on the sponsor's generosity.Palo-sebo - greased bamboo pole climbing - This game involves a greased bamboo pole that players attempt to climb. This games is usually played during town fiestas, particularly in the provinces. The objective of the participants is to be the first person to reach the prize—a small bag—located at the top of the bamboo pole. The small bag usually contains money or toys.

Palo Sebo (climbing a greased bamboo contest) - It traces its origins to a similar game widely played in the Visayas that had men racing up a greased coconut tree. It is also similar to the 'Pinang' game of Java, Indonesia. The game is played by young males and generally done in an open space during fiestas and other celebrations. A long polished bamboo pole greased with oil is planted on the ground with the prize placed at the topmost of the pole. All players, whether individually or as a team, try to climb the pole for the prize. The prize, usually cash, is increased depending on the sponsor's generosity.

Yo-Yo
A toy made of two circular parts that goes up and down a string that you hold in your hand. The yo-yo is a traditional toy that has been used by Filipinos for hundreds of years. It consists of two disks joined by a central axel tied to long string used to propel the yo-yo up and down. The yo-yo was popularized in the United States in the 1920s by Pedro Flores, a Filipino immigrant, which led to its subsequent worldwide popularity. Ancient versions of the yo-yo have been found in different parts of the world, but it is widely believed that it is Chinese in origin. It is one of the oldest toys in the world and the first toy to be brought to outer space.

According to early researchers and documents, this particular piece of instrument was not intended for game purposes but as instrument in hunting or capturing animals and as self-defense. Presently, yoyo is made of wood and acrylic plastic though before it was made of carabao horn, ivory, silver, and even gold.

The game is quite new, played alone or by two, outdoors or indoors, by young and adult alike of both sexes. The mechanics of the game is simple, the players only have to outwit the opponent in reeling the yoyo continuously without interruption. If the opponent did not complete the required style, e.g. 'around the world,' 'walking the dog,' and loses momentum, or his yoyo stops in the process, then he loses the match.

Turumpo 

Turumpo or trumpo is a popular outdoor Filipino game of manipulating a wooden top to spin on an axis through a string twirled around it. It can be played by any number of players.

Each player needs a trumpo: a top made of wood and has an egg-like shape where in one end is slightly pointed than the other. Driven in the pointed end of the spinning top is an iron nail, an inch of which is projected out. The end of the nail is sharpened to make it even more pointy. A meter-long string is also needed which will cause the spinning motion of the top.

A two-or-more-feet diameter circle is prepared on the ground. A player may either use a stick or his foot to draw the circle. Ten feet from the circle is a starting line where players stand and throw their tops in the circle.

Before the game starts, the turns of the game must be decided through manuhán. Players stand in the starting line with their turumpo in one hand ready to be thrown. Their target is the center point of the circle. Whoever gets to throw his top the nearest to the center plays first. 

Pabitin

Pabitin is a popular game usually played in birthday parties and town fiestas. It involves a lattice of bamboo sticks (called a balag) suspended in the air with string. The lattice is strung with plastic bags willed with small toys, snacks, sweets or coins. It is suspended in a way that it can be lowered and raised quickly. Children are to gather under the lattice as it is lowered to reach the party favors.

Pabitin is traditionally played during Santa Cruz de Mayo. A lattice is made during the day where fruits, candies, toys, are hung from a tree or in modern versions of it, parallel wires. It is hung in such a manner that it can be easily raised or lowered. The children assemble under it and a man is choses to raise and lower the balag. The players main objective is to get as many goodies as they can when the balag is lowered. The balag is moved up and down. The children jump and try to reach some of the prizes. The child who gets the most prizes is given an extra serving in the feast table. Other versions of the game is played with teams. They select a captain and the captain of each group will do the jumping and grabbing of the goodies. Other members will try to block the members of the other team from getting any goodies. Other teams will try to get a small boy on their shoulders and in that vantage position, the small boy can grab the goodies enough for his team.

In more recent times, the game just ends when the balag is bare of party favors and no special prize is given to the child who got the most. 

Chinese Garter 

Two people hold both ends of a stretched garter horizontally while the others attempt to cross over it. The goal is to cross without having tripped on the garter. With each round, the garter's height is made higher than the previous round (the game starts with the garter at ankle-level, followed by knee-level, until the garter is positioned above the head). The higher rounds demand dexterity, and the players generally leap with their feet first in the air, so their feet cross over the garter, and they end up landing on the other side. Also, with the higher levels, doing cartwheels to "cross" the garter is allowed.

Teks

Teks or teks game cards - texted game cards -Filipino children collect these playing cards which contain comic strips and texts placed within speech balloons. They are played by tossing them to the air until the cards hit the ground. The cards are flipped upwards through the air using the thumb and the forefinger which creates a snapping sound as the nail of the thumb hits the surface of the card. The winner or gainer collect the other players' card depending on how the cards are laid out upon hitting or landing on the ground.