BACKGROUND:

It has been observed that among Filipino youth, physical inactivity or

sedentary living has become prevalent. This is largely associated with their
increased screen time as they often use computers, mobile phones, tablets,
and other screen-based devices. In effect, the rates of childhood overweight
and obesity cases have increased (Philippine Council for Health and Research
and Development, 2015). Around 13% of adolescents in the Philippines are
said to be overweight and obese based on the results of the Global School-
based Survey in 2011 (World Health Organization, 2011). According to WHO
(2017), if no action is done, rates in mortality will increase to 73% and
disease burden to 60%, with more obese children and adolescents by 2022.
These alarming figures vis-à -vis the emerging trends in today’s technological
age leading to sedentary lifestyles simply suggest the need to renew and
expand the role of the Department of Education in providing and promoting
physical activity to Filipino children and youth.

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 BACKGROUND:
As established and supported by large volumes of empirical evidence,
doing physical activity brings benefits to the body. Physical activity plays a vital
role in the holistic development of children as it enriches their physical, social, and
emotional well-being. Regular physical activity helps keep a healthy body, allows
for motor skills development, strengthens the heart and lungs, regulates blood
pressure, and reduces blood sugar levels. In addition, it extends its positive effects
to emotional and mental health.
Thus, Filipino learners should live an active lifestyle by moving, walking, or
exercising especially after long hours of sitting idly. One way of attaining an active
lifestyle among learners is through performing calisthenics. Calisthenics is a form
of strength training performed rhythmically that exercises large muscle groups. It
promotes strength, endurance, flexibility, and coordination and augments the
body’s general well-being by placing controllable, regular demands upon the
cardiovascular system. Another major benefit of calisthenics is that it involves
compound exercises. This means it uses multiple muscle groups at once. It
requires a high amount of movement and allows one to burn a lot of calories in a
short period of time.

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 BACKGROUND:
A good example of calisthenics which has become a morning routine for
many people in Japan and around the world is the ‘Radio Taiso.’ The Radio Taiso is
an exercise routine that is broadcast every morning at 6:30 on the Japanese public
station NHK Radio 1 to keep its citizens fit and healthy. These early-morning
exercises are carried out in schools, workplaces, and other community gathering
spaces.
Moreover, as observed in other Asian countries like Cambodia, Laos, and
Vietnam, students perform an exercise-dance while singing a nationalistic song
before the start of classes. This symbolizes the need for a healthy and strong body
to defend their country from foreign invaders. True enough, students are taught
the essence of nationalism through physical fitness exercises with the
accompaniment of local songs.
Similarly, the Bureau of Curriculum Development (BCD) developed a
national calisthenics—introducing movements that are distinctly Filipino.
Calisthenics with cultural content shall not only improve health but likewise
develop nationalism and imbibe discipline among Filipino learners.

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RATIOMALE

RATIONALE:
Pursuant to Article XIV, section 19 of the 1987 Philippine

“
Constitution, the “state shall promote physical education and encourage sports
programs, league competitions, and amateur sports, including training for
international competitions, to foster self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence for
the development of a healthy and alert citizenry.” It is in this light that the
Department of Education (DepEd) developed a national calisthenics program that
will promote physical fitness and healthy lifestyle and inculcate discipline and
nationalism.
Moreover, the DepEd recognizes the UNESCO Revised International Charter
of Physical Education, Physical Activity, and Sports, which prescribes a framework
for the creation of safe and effective physical activity programs. The Charter
brings to the fore a variety of individual and societal benefits, such as health, social
and economic development, youth empowerment, reconciliation, and peace,
among others. The development and promotion of a national calisthenics
program among learners is one physical fitness activity that contributes to this
end.

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RATIOMAL

RATIONALE:

Calisthenics exercises are mass uniform body

movements. The merit of calisthenics in elementary and
secondary schools is realized throughout the world for two
reasons: (1) they are most economical exercises, requiring
little to no equipment, and (2) they are easy to learn. A large
number of learners can practice calisthenics and demonstrate
them well with least effort, as calisthenics are easy to learn,
demonstrate, or perform. A single teacher may control and
teach a large number of learners without difficulty both at
organizational and instructional level.

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OBJECTIVES:

The national calisthenics aims to:

1. promote healthy lifestyle among Filipinos that
will benefit their physical and socio-emotional
well-being;
2. improve strength, flexibility, cardio-vascular
endurance, and coordination;
3. enhance cultural awareness by integrating
Philippine cultures in the calisthenics exercise;
and
4. inculcate nationalism, unity, and discipline

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CALISTHENICS FEATURES:

The National Calisthenics dubbed as GALAW PILIPINAS is a national

learner-based calisthenics exercise which shall be part of the weekly
exercise routine in the school. This shall replace the different dances
or exercises performed by learners during flag ceremony or flag
retreat. GALAW PILIPINAS, which can be executed even at home,
consists of simple routines inspired by folk/tribal/festival
movements/steps and some fundamental arnis stances.

The intensity of the execution of GALAW PILIPNAS shall be varied

according to the type of learners and their Key Stages to ensure
inclusivity.

Galaw Pilipinas was coined as the national calisthenics to signify the

start of an effort to unify the entire country to move and be healthy.

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STRATEGY:

The Bureau of Curriculum Development (BCD) developed a 4-minute

calisthenics through a series of workshops. Participants who served
as developers were PE supervisors and Special Program in Sports
(SPS) implementers bringing with them rhythmic
movements/exercises inspired by folk/tribal/festival dances in their
respective regions. Members of the Department of Education Arnis
Association of the Philippines also participated in one of the
workshops to integrate fundamental arnis stances in the calisthenics
routine. Meanwhile, select Special Program in the Arts implementers
provided the original composition with vocals and instrumentals to
serve as the official music of the national calisthenics. This is the first
collaboration between the SPS and SPA.

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STRATEGY:

To ensure the quality of the developed calisthenics routine, physical education

and health and fitness experts were invited to serve as consultants. They were Prof.
Hercules P. Callanta, faculty, College of Human Kinetics, University of the Philippines and
Lyceum of the Philippines University; Dr. Lordinio Vergara, Vice-President, University
Relations and Management, Philippine Normal University and member, National
Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA); and Mr. Sebastian Ripoll, Director and
Faculty, Magna Anima Teachers College Laguna and College of Human Kinetics, University
of the Philippines.
The BCD endeavors to promote the 4-minute GALAW PILIPINAS to educate
learners on the health benefits of physical activity such as exercising, motivating them to
observe good health choices and instilling in them life-long changes in health behavior.

To promote GALAW PILIPINAS, a core of performers from Zeferino Arroyo

High School in Iriga City, Region 5 was identified to execute the movements through a
video which shall be distributed to the field. Pilot-testing, orientation, and training shall
also be conducted in the field prior to nationwide implementation.

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IMPLEMENTATION OF GALAW PILIPINAS

GALAW PILIPINAS was launched on February 14, 2022. It is envisioned that

eventually Filipinos will familiarize themselves with the calisthenics routine and
be able to perform them anywhere they are.

GALAW PILIPINAS shall be performed by all elementary and secondary

learners every flag ceremony or flag retreat, or before the start of the class. The
step/movement patterns shall likewise be taught during PE classes to highlight
proper execution. The origin/history of these movements shall also be taught to
enhance cultural awareness among learners. Finally, the calisthenics shall be part
of demonstration activities, school foundation day, and other school-initiated
activities.

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IMPLEMENTATION OF GALAW PILIPINAS

Varied tutorial videos appropriate to the type of learners

and their Key Stages shall be made available to the field after
the pilot-testing.
After a series of deliberation, the logo of Galaw Pilipinas
was finalized. The logo as well as the music were submitted
to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, for
patent/copyright.
The manual on Galaw Pilipinas shall be released. This
contains the guidelines on the implementation; instructional
and illustrated guides on the steps and movement patterns;
and the literature on the steps and movement patterns.

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Maps

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