The Philippines will host the 11th Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Friendship Games from Dec. 1 to 5 in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, gathering athletes from across the region to compete in traditional and contemporary sports.
Charlie Roscios, the administrative staff officer and Mindanao Team A focal point for Davao City’s Sports Development Division, announced Wednesday that eight teams will participate, including one each from Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia, while the Philippines will field five teams.
Roscios also bared that the Northern Territory of Australia, a BIMP-EAGA development partner, has been invited to join the games, continuing a tradition of regional collaboration.
“We have only a few sporting events for the friendship games. We only have eight games, and no sparring games will be included,” he said.
The Friendship Games, first launched in 1996, aim to promote camaraderie and sportsmanship among youth in the sub-region while celebrating BIMP-EAGA’s cultural heritage. This year’s events will feature sports such as aquatics, archery, athletics, badminton, e-sports, karate (kata only), pencak silat, and sepak takraw.
The games last took place in 2018 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, with the 11th edition originally scheduled for 2020 but postponed due to the pandemic.
“All our athletes here in Davao City are subsidized since it is an international event. We have allotted budget for our players,” Roscios said. (PNA)
