THE continued popularity of boxing as a sport and the rise to prominence of boxer Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao has spurred the Department of Education (DepEd) to consider its inclusion in physical education classes for all public schools around the country.
DepEd Officer-in-Charge Fe Hidalgo said the inclusion of boxing in physical education classes is still up for discussion in a technical committee. Hidalgo said the subject has yet to be discussed in the committee’s en banc session.
She said that the idea would most probably be adopted in the high school level. “We want the kids in elementary to focus on their academics.”
She added that while she recognized that boxing could be a way out of poverty for some kids, “we would still want the children to learn how to read and write. But we also want them to discover capabilities, to develop what the child best at. This can develop self-esteem so that other intelligences can be enhanced.”
Another aim of the proposal is to discover and train more young Filipinos to become boxing champions like Pacquiao and to shy away from drugs and crime.
