by: Gladys Fe Montebon | @gladys_TRL
December 01, 2022
LOOK: A kickflip trick from one of the 'Capitol skateboarders' | Photo by Mariah Angelica Tolibas
It is unusual for some people to be inclined with skating, until skateboarding icon Margielyn Didal introduced it to Filipino youth. In a world where online mobile games were popular, it is common to see the young holding onto their phones mostly just to waste away their time, but not for these young men and boys of Malolos City, Bulacan who found happiness through skating.
In this story, we will call them the infamous "Capitol Skateboarders."
“Lahat ng sports nasubukan ko na, parang gusto ko naman subukan ang skateboarding," Wilbert said who started skating just six months ago. He said he learned it from his brother.
“Naging masaya ako, at marami akong nakilala na ibang tao dahil sa pag-i-skateboard ko," He added.
Also, another skateboarder, Ros, said “Masaya, nagagawa namin yung gusto namin na gawin.” At 18 years old, he started skating in 2019. The thing he learned from skating was he could get along with other people including those who are older than him.
But behind the fun of skateboarding is the struggles of every skateboarder. Because just like any other player, skateboarders also have a story to tell.
Salabahansi, 25 years old, from Baliuag, Bulacan; travelling quite a distance just to be here with his peers, shared his struggles back when he was just starting to skate.
“Kasi nung nag-i-skate ako, wala akong trabaho, nag-aaral lang, syempre wala akong pera para pangkain ng masarap na pagkain. Kaya ang ginagawa namin, pumupunta kaming palengke, sa may sinangagan, dumiskarte kami ng kanin tapos pinapalagyan naming ng sarsa para makatawid gutom kami. Ganon yung ginagawa namin na diskarte sa buhay ng skateboarders.”
For some people, skateboarding may be a tad bit dangerous of a sport. Especially, doing wild tricks where one’s safety is in jeopardy with each leap on the a
“Wag silang mahihiya, wag matatakot, tuloy lang ng tuloy sa paglalaro kahit na nasasaktan.” Ros’ advice to those who wanted to try skating as well.
“Naghanap kasi ako ng ibang extreme na sports. Dito kasi na-enhance 'yung abilidad ko, tapos 'yung lakas ng loob ko sa gagawin kong trick. Kumbaga, sa skateboarding kasi extreme. At saka talagang palakasan siya ng loob, itong sports na 'to,” Salabahansi told TalariaLink, also adding that skateboarding needs more mental strength than physical strength.
"'Wag mag walwal, alagaan ang sarili, kumain ng tama at matulog," he added.
Ralph Walo Emerson, an American philosopher once said, "We all live amid surfaces, and the true art is to skate well on them."
And for these young men tackling the grounds near the City Hall, they skate along these challenges and for them, it is an art indeed by itself.
Moreover, it is quite commendable how this group of youngsters chose to devote themselves to a hobby that is more than just showing flashy tricks and moves. For them it is their way of life.
One passerby we interviewed along the way said that "these skateboarders fulfill themselves by showing to the public how cool it is."
But more than just that. Their stories meant more than the street cred, for them, it brings them closer together and give them the sense of brotherhood that they long to find in the community they fit in. None of them actually knew each other, but here they are, together for the love of skateboarding.
LOOKING BACK AT THE HISTORY OF SKATEBOARDING
Skateboarding can be traced back to the 1950s. It was a sport created by the surfers who wanted the feeling of riding waves onto streets especially when waves are low. In 1959, the first improved official skateboard was released by Roller Derby reaching the peak of popularity of skateboarding.
In the Philippines, skateboarders had little choice but to use the resources available to them in their communities. Because of this, skateboarding has always had its roots and core in the streets, which may have had an impact on how most people perceived skateboarders.
Until the phenomenal Didal, a professional street skateboarder from the Philippines who became well-known after taking home one of the four medals in the 2018 Asian Games, gave credibility to the sport with feat she achieved doing skateboarding and showcasing her humble and jolly personality that captivated the whole world, especially during the Asian Games. Undoing the bad-boy perception of skateboarders overnight.
Despite the lack of adequate facilities that has traditionally hampered the development of various sports, including figure skating, roller skating, and roller skating, we have nevertheless been able to produce Olympians in sports like skateboarding, Didal.
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