Friday, March 11, 2011

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Bangkok Activities & Leisure

Where sepak takraw originated from remains a matter of intense debate in Southeast Asia, as several countries proudly claim it as their own. Whilst this may never be satisfactorily determined, there is some agreement that the game was introduced to Southeast Asia through commercial contact with China, where an ancient form of the game originated.

It is believed that many variations of the game evolved from an ancient Chinese military exercise, where soldiers would try to keep a feathered shuttlecock airborne by kicking it back and forth between two people. As the sport developed, the animal hide and chicken feathers were eventually replaced by balls made of woven strips of rattan.

The first versions of sepak takraw were not so much of a competition, but rather cooperative displays of skill designed to exercise the body, improve dexterity and loosen the limbs after long periods of sitting, standing or working.

The modern version of sepak takraw is fiercely competitive and began taking shape in Thailand almost 200 years ago. In 1829, the Siam Sports Association drafted the first rules for the game. Four years later, the association introduced the volleyball-style net and held the first public contest. Within just a few years, sepak takraw was introduced to the Physical Training curriculum in schools.

In Bangkok, the murals at Wat Phra Kaew (the Temple of the Emerald Buddha) depict the Hindu god Hanuman playing sepak takraw in a ring with a troop of fellow monkeys. Other historical accounts also mention the game earlier during the reign of King Naresuan of Ayutthaya. The game became such a cherished local custom that an exhibition of volleyball-style sepak takraw was staged to celebrate the kingdom's first constitution in 1933, the year after Thailand abolished absolute monarchy.

Nowadays, sepak takraw is played on a modified badminton doubles court, with the net standing five feet above the ground. Each team consists of three players; left inside, right inside and back server.

Going Global: Standardising the Rules

Almost every nation that played this game knew it by a different name. In Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, it's called 'sepak raga', whereas in Thailand it's commonly known as 'takraw'. The same game goes by the name of 'sipa' in the Philippines, 'da cau' in Vietnam, 'rago' in Indonesia, and 'kator' in Laos. Since sepak takraw was played and enjoyed in several countries, there were a lot of inconsistencies in terms of how the game was played and judged.

In 1960, representatives from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Lao and Thailand met in Kuala Lumpur to standardise rules and regulations for the game. And after a long and heated debate, consensus was reached that the sport would henceforth be officially called sepak takraw.

They also formed the Asian Sepak Takraw Federation (ASTAF), and translated the rules into English, setting the stage for the first international competition, held in Malaysia in 1965, at the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, or SEAP Games, the predecessor to today's Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games). This chain of events set the stage for the international development of sepak takraw. However, it was the replacement of the natural rattan ball, which tended to splinter and warp, with the more standardised synthetic plastic ball that really kicked the game's popularity into high gear.

In 1990, sepak takraw was included at the Asian Games in Beijing. Women also got in on the action with the first women's championships in Thailand hosted in 1997. Today, more than 20 countries have national sepak takraw associations with representatives on the board of the global governing body, the International Sepak Takraw Federation (ISTAF).

On Its Way to Olympic Status.

Sepak takraw is one of the fastest growing sports in Asia, as well as many other parts of the world. The gravity-defying kicks, contorted aerial twists, turns of the body and the blinding speed of play astound spectators worldwide. For most of the past decade, Thailand has dominated international competitions, winning nearly every major event. Malaysia turned the tide at the 2005 Manila SEA Games.

Thailand and Malaysia will remain the teams to beat for the foreseeable future, but other sepak takraw powerhouses such as Myanmar, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam are closing in quickly. Asian nations are currently lobbying to give the game Olympic Games, so as to attract wider audiences overseas and to give Asia a much-needed boost in the medals table - and it's only a matter of time before the region's beloved pastime takes its rightful place among other sports at the Olympic Games.

For more details on sepak takraw rules, have a look at our Basic Rules & How to play.

Dumaguete City is a city in the Philippine province of Negros Oriental. It is the capital, principal seaport, and largest city of Negros Oriental. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 102,265 people. A person from Dumaguete City is called a "Dumagueteño". The city is nicknamed The City of Gentle People.
Dumaguete City is referred to as a university town because of the presence of seven universities and colleges, where students of the province converge to enroll for tertiary education. The city is also a popular educational destination for students of surrounding provinces and cities in Visayas and Mindanao. The city is best known for Silliman University, the country's first Protestant school and Asia's first American private university.^[1]^[2] There are also 12 elementary schools and 9 high schools. The city's student population is estimated at 30,000.
The city attracts a considerable number of foreign tourists, particularly Europeans, because of easy ferry access from Cebu City, the availability of beach resorts and dive sites, and the attraction of dolphin and whale watching in nearby Bais Bay.

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[edit] History

The Dumaguete Belfry is the city's most popular architectural landmark. It was built in 1811 to warn townfolks of attacks by maurading pirates.

"Dumaguete" was coined from the Visayan word "daggit" which means "to snatch". Because of the frequent marauding attacks of the Muslim pirates on the coastal town, and the power to attract and keep her visitors for good, hence, the word "dumaguet", meaning "to swoop," was christened to the village of Dumaguete. However, Diego Lopez Povedano in 1572, indicated the place as "Dananguet." But in 1734, Murillo Velarde referred to it, using its present name, as Dumaguete.
In 1890, the island-province of Negros was divided into two politico-military provinces, Occidental and Oriental. As earlier constituted, in 1898, Dumaguete was included in Negros Oriental. After the Philippine-American War, on May 1, 1901, a civil government was established by the Americans in the Province of Negros Oriental, including Dumaguete.
When World War II broke out, the city was occupied by the Japanese Imperial Forces on May 26, 1942. It was liberated on April 26, 1945 by the combined forces of the U.S. Army and the Filipino guerrillas. On June 15, 1948 or three years later, Republic Act No. 327, created the City of Dumaguete. Later, on June 21, 1969, Republic Act No. 5797 was enacted, otherwise known as the Revised Charter of Dumaguete City.

[edit] Geography and climate

Image:Dumaguete Boulevard.jpg

The promenade along Rizal Boulevard, facing the Tañon Strait.

The City has a land area of 34.26 km², situated on the plains of the southeastern coast of Negros Island near the mouth of the Banica River. Of the province's 20 municipalities and 5 cities, Dumaguete City is the smallest in terms of land area. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Sibulan; on the south by the municipality of Bacong; and on the west by the municipality of Valencia. As a coastal city, it is bounded on the east by the Mindanao Sea and the Tañon Strait, serving as a natural border to the neighboring provinces of Cebu and Siquijor.
The city's topography is generally flat from two to six kilometers from the shoreline. It slopes gently upwards to the adjoining municipality of Valencia. The highest ground elevation is located at the boundary of the municipality of Valencia, about one hundred meters above mean sea level. About 93% of the land have slopes of less than 3%. The remaining areas have 3% to 5% slope.
Dumaguete City is politically subdivided into 30 barangays, all classified as urban. The eight barangays in the city's downtown area are known primarily by number. The smallest barangay is Barangay 4 with an area of only 5.11 hectares, while the biggest barangay is Barangay Banilad with 362.71 hectares. A famous couple, Craig and Maricon Martin, were also married here in July 2004 at Spanish Heritage.

Bagacay
Bajumpandan
Balugo
Banilad
Bantayan
Batinguel
Bunao
Cadawinonan
Calindagan
Camanjac

Candau-ay
Cantil-e
Daro
Junob
Looc
Mangnao-Canal
Motong
Piapi
Barangay 1
Barangay 2

Barangay 3
Barangay 4
Barangay 5
Barangay 6
Barangay 7
Barangay 8
Pulantubig
Tabuctubig
Taclobo
Talay

Dumaguete City has two seasons, namely; the dry and the wet seasons. The wet season covers the period from June to November, and the dry season starts from December to May, the hottest being April and May. The average maximum temperature is 34.3 °C and the average minimum temperature is 22.9 °C for the past years. The relative humidity of the locality for the past years was 78¾% with the month of December registering the highest.

[edit] Demographics

Dumaguete Cathedral and a monument to José Rizal in Quezon Park.

As of the census of 2000, there are 102,265 people and 21,582 households residing in the city. This makes it the most populous city in Negros Oriental, comprising 9.05% of the province's total population. Unlike the national profile, the male population is 6% more than the female population.

[edit] Economy

Dumaguete enjoys a vibrant economy brought about by the influx of investors in the business process outsourcing and other industries. TeleTech, one of the world's largest call center firms, and SPi, one of the world's leading BPO companies, are the two large ITES firms operating in Dumaguete. Robinsons Land Corporation, a major mall operator in the Philippines, has started the construction of a new mall located on a 6-hectare lot in Calindagan, south of downtown Dumaguete. There is also an upsurge in the number of tourists arriving in the City of Dumaguete and nearby areas.
The academe pumps in more than P2 billion of economic activity into the city annually.

[edit] Education

Dumaguete is best known for Silliman University.

Dumaguete has earned the distinction of being known as "the center of learning in the south," or a "university town" due to the presence of these universities that have made their mark nationally and abroad. The city's ambience and tranquil, moderate way of life make it conducive to learning and intellectual pursuits. The city has become a melting pot of students, professionals, artists, scholars and the literati coming from different parts of the country and the world.
Silliman University is the dominant institution of higher learning in Dumaguete City, providing the city with a distinct university town atmosphere. It is the oldest Protestant university in the country and the first American university in Asia.^[1]^[2] The 610,000 m² campus is adjacent to and intermixed with the city's downtown district.
Other universities located in the city are Foundation University, Negros Oriental State University, and Saint Paul University.
There are also many colleges in the city, including AMA Computer College, AMA ACLC, Asian College of Science and Technology, STI Colleges, Maximo College, and COSCA College.