Ailyn Agonia
Doha
Filipino Expatriates Sepak Takraw Association Qatar (Festa Qatar) keeps the spirit of the 'sepak takraw' (kick volleyball) alive among Filipinos in the country through various programmes aimed at promoting the sport.
Sepak takraw is a sport native to Southeast Asia played in countries such as in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar. The establishment of Festa Qatar has helped gather sepak takraw groups from different Southeast Asian expat communities through regular games.
Besides representing Qatar in international tournaments, hosting games in Doha and training Filipino students based in Qatar, the group has also been actively reaching out to students in public schools in the Philippines.
According to Festa Qatar President Janno Rhey A Soriano, since the beginning of the year, they have been sponsoring sepak takraw equipment and uniform with the help of former members and supporters.
In January, Festa Qatar distributed sepak takraw equipment to Tambal Elementary School in the municipality of Janiuay in Iloilo province through the efforts of former Festa Qatar president Harold Angeles. It was followed by an outreach mission in Gatiawin Elementary chool in Arayat, Pampanga in partnership with the Filipino community in Guam.
In July, sepak takraw equipment was also distributed to Lubigan Elementary School in Guinayangan in Quezon province. Festa Qatar also sponsored uniforms of players of Santiago City National High School in the province of Isabela through the assistance of the group's event coordinator Johnson Sanchez while the students of Adelle Grace Montessori in Pampanga were handed pairs of shoes and sepak takraw balls.
Soriano said Festa Qatar is committed to popularising the game not only among Filipinos but encouraging other nationalities, including Qataris, to get into the sport which he stressed was similar to local favourite football.
"For our upcoming events, we are planning sometime in October or November a Winter Cup in Qatar. We will also continue with our programme of helping sepak takraw enthusiasts in pursuing their passion through sponsorship of equipment or even moral support from our team," Soriano said.
He added that Festa Qatar will also be part of the national league for sepak takraw (Philippine Sepak Takraw League) which will commence sometime in 2019.
Festa Qatar conducts humanitarian activities as part of their commitment to utilise the sport for the benefit of their compatriots. Last year, the group organised an assistance drive for seven-month-old baby Aian Matteo, a relative of one of Festa Qatar members, who was born premature and with complications in a hospital in Bulacan province in the Philippines. Festa Qatar held a special tournament in Doha to raise fund and send it to the Matteo family for the hospital needs of Baby Aian.
Similarly, the group actively supports various events of the dynamic Filipino community in Qatar.
Besides Soriano, the current leadership of Festa Qatar also includes Founding Chairman Cesar Ternida, Vice President Greg Fernandez, Secretary General Jeffrey Malay, Event Coordinators Aldrin Parayno and Johnson Sanchez and advisers Adrian Muana and Amer Al Faraj.
Doha
Filipino Expatriates Sepak Takraw Association Qatar (Festa Qatar) keeps the spirit of the 'sepak takraw' (kick volleyball) alive among Filipinos in the country through various programmes aimed at promoting the sport.
Sepak takraw is a sport native to Southeast Asia played in countries such as in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar. The establishment of Festa Qatar has helped gather sepak takraw groups from different Southeast Asian expat communities through regular games.
Besides representing Qatar in international tournaments, hosting games in Doha and training Filipino students based in Qatar, the group has also been actively reaching out to students in public schools in the Philippines.
According to Festa Qatar President Janno Rhey A Soriano, since the beginning of the year, they have been sponsoring sepak takraw equipment and uniform with the help of former members and supporters.
In January, Festa Qatar distributed sepak takraw equipment to Tambal Elementary School in the municipality of Janiuay in Iloilo province through the efforts of former Festa Qatar president Harold Angeles. It was followed by an outreach mission in Gatiawin Elementary chool in Arayat, Pampanga in partnership with the Filipino community in Guam.
In July, sepak takraw equipment was also distributed to Lubigan Elementary School in Guinayangan in Quezon province. Festa Qatar also sponsored uniforms of players of Santiago City National High School in the province of Isabela through the assistance of the group's event coordinator Johnson Sanchez while the students of Adelle Grace Montessori in Pampanga were handed pairs of shoes and sepak takraw balls.
Soriano said Festa Qatar is committed to popularising the game not only among Filipinos but encouraging other nationalities, including Qataris, to get into the sport which he stressed was similar to local favourite football.
"For our upcoming events, we are planning sometime in October or November a Winter Cup in Qatar. We will also continue with our programme of helping sepak takraw enthusiasts in pursuing their passion through sponsorship of equipment or even moral support from our team," Soriano said.
He added that Festa Qatar will also be part of the national league for sepak takraw (Philippine Sepak Takraw League) which will commence sometime in 2019.
Festa Qatar conducts humanitarian activities as part of their commitment to utilise the sport for the benefit of their compatriots. Last year, the group organised an assistance drive for seven-month-old baby Aian Matteo, a relative of one of Festa Qatar members, who was born premature and with complications in a hospital in Bulacan province in the Philippines. Festa Qatar held a special tournament in Doha to raise fund and send it to the Matteo family for the hospital needs of Baby Aian.
Similarly, the group actively supports various events of the dynamic Filipino community in Qatar.
Besides Soriano, the current leadership of Festa Qatar also includes Founding Chairman Cesar Ternida, Vice President Greg Fernandez, Secretary General Jeffrey Malay, Event Coordinators Aldrin Parayno and Johnson Sanchez and advisers Adrian Muana and Amer Al Faraj.