Sport and Activities in Manila

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Sports are an important part of Filipino life and social circles can be determined by team alliance. Sporting events are a major component of the social calendar from local matches to international competitions.

Team Sports

The Philippine Sports Committee is the governing body responsible for distributing funds and providing strategic guidance for sporting activity in the Philippines.

The Philippine Olympic Committee is the governing body responsible for the country's participation in the Olympics, Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games and other athletic competitions worldwide.

Basketball

Basketball is the most popular and well-loved team sport in the Philippines. The Philippine Basketball Association is the country's professional league. They hold various conferences throughout the year participated in by 12 teams. The country's national basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, participates in Olympic qualifiers and other international tournaments.

Football

Football has grown in popularity in recent years with the rise of the national football team, the Azkals. The United Football League Philippines is the country's premier football league.

Individual Sports

Boxing

Boxing is the most popular and well-loved individual sport in the Philippines. Famous Filipino boxers include Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire, Gabriel "Flash" Elorde and Pancho Villa. The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) is the country's governing body for amateur boxing.

Billiards

Billiards is also a popular sport in the Philippines since it is one of the most accessible sports to play. Famous Filipino billiards players include Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante. The Billiards and Snookers Congress of the Philippines is the country's governing body for cue sports.

Stadiums

Amoranto Sports Complex

This sports complex is located in Quezon City and has a main stadium with a seating capacity of 15,000. The main stadium is used for athletics and football events. It was used as a venue for the cycling events of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.

Marikina Sports Complex

This sports complex is located in Marikina City. It has an Olympic-size swimming pool, a 400-meter track oval, an indoor gym, courts and two grandstands with a total seating capacity of 15,000.

McKinley Hill Stadium

This stadium has an all-weather football pitch and a seating capacity of 2,000. It is home to the United Football League of the Philippines and is also used as the official training ground of the national rugby teams.

Philippine Sports Stadium

This stadium is located in the province of Bulacan on the outskirts of Manila. It is a football and track stadium and has a seating capacity of 25,000.

Rizal Memorial Stadium

This is the national stadium of the Philippines and is the official home of the Philippine national football team. It has a seating capacity of over 12,000.

Sporting Events

Manila hosted the Southeast Asian Games in 1981, 1991 and 2005. Manila will be hosting the Southeast Asian Games in 2019.

In July 2016, Manila will host the 2016 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men.

Activities

Residents usually visit parks and other open fields to go walking, jogging or running. Some parks also offer free sessions of aerobics or yoga. Other residents play a casual game of Frisbee or touch football. Some condominium units have basketball courts, tennis courts and badminton courts and allow non-residents to rent the facilities for an hourly fee.

Gym

Manila has a variety of gyms to choose from. Each gym has different facilities and class offerings. In addition, many of the larger hotels have swimming pools and fitness centers that allow outside membership.

Decide what aspects matter to you:

  • Do you want to have a gym with free-weights, machines, or both?
  • Do you want a gym that offers alternative classes such as aerobics, martial arts lessons, step classes, etc.?
  • Do you want a gym that has swimming, sauna, and Jacuzzi facilities?
  • Do you want a single-sex or mixed gym environment?

Gyms

  • Fitness First - It has several branches across the metro with state-of-the art machines and facilities.
  • Gold's Gym - One of the pioneers in the fitness industry. Offers modern equipment and other group activities such as Zumba, Pilates, yoga and body combat.
  • 360° Fitness Club - One of the pioneers in "express" fitness in the Philippines, they are known for their 30-minute circuit training consisting of cardio and strength exercises.
  • CFMNL - This gym specializes in CrossFit, a fitness program combining gymnastics, lifting and strength conditioning.
  • Options Studio - This studio specializes in Pilates and has branches across the metro.
  • Beyond Yoga - This studio specializes in yoga and offers different yoga classes including Ashtanga Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Hatha Yoga and even Anti-Gravity Yoga.

Update 9/06/2016


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