The post-pandemic bustle of back-to-office protocols and revenge partying invites a need to take healthy breaks and treat one’s body right. Lately you might notice a friend sporting a racquet bag, yoga mat, or rock climbing shoes hanging from their backpack. “When did everyone become an athlete?” you might ask. To some, it might be a simple carry-over of lockdown hobbies. Cycling clubs emerged as a source of freedom, mobility, and safe forms of socialization. People took up tennis for its minimal-contact mechanics, or Formula 1 obsession as a new form of brainrot.
In recent years, the sports trending around the city invite people to explore Metro Manila in a new light, feel at home in their bodies, and encourage culture-building and competition — whether casual or at an elite level. After all, cities are designed for play as much as they are for work. Whether it’s unwinding over a chessboard at a local cafe or boogie-ing down in a newly-minted roller rink, five Filipinos tell us about the sports that sparked their interest and ignited their obsession.
‘ ’22’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:8d60600d-8e99-4afc-9c77-16ab24324622’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘The sport gave rise to many social clubs that emerged in the city post-pandemic, fostering friendly competition over beer and square-cut
Angelo Balili (he/him), 35, IT Manager
Angelo was re-acquainted with an old childhood passion through a re-emerging nighttime activity. Bowling had once been a hobby his entire family bonded over. “[Back then] we had our own balls and even started joining small competitions,” he tells me. “Unfortunately, our interest fizzled out and we just stopped playing one by one.”
The spark was rekindled in 2022 when Angelo became a regular at The Poblacion Bowling Club. The group, consisting of a mix of regulars of various nightlife and culture affiliations, is one of many sport-centered social clubs to emerge in the city post-pandemic. It provides a healthy break from the industry, and fosters friendly competition over beer and square-cut pizza. Similar groups, like Midnight Bowling Club, meet Sunday evenings at Superbowl Makati Central Square.
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Though these groups aren’t as active as they were in 2022, Angelo still bowls on the regular alone or with family and friends. The low physicality of the sport makes it a great way to unwind for all ages (and a more wholesome way to booze it up with friends).
‘ ’23’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:791b9298-b23e-498d-8573-169067be1b28’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘In running, there is little gear required outside of socks
Danielle Cuevas, 30, Tariff Classification Specialist
“My first brush with running was way back in college, as a PE course,” says Danielle. “I found it hard and painful, and I actually had to drop the course and repeat it at least three times before I finally finished it.” After feeling stuck in a sedentary lifestyle from her job, she signed up for her first 5km run in 2018. 10km runs soon followed, and then half-marathons. “I lost 20 pounds in less than a year. However, it was my decision to commit to my first full marathon that made me become consistent in running.”
Throughout her practice of the sport, Danielle had been used to training alone — until late 2022. Danielle joined group runs with EZ Run Club and Red Light Run Club. Despite her initial fears, she found herself looking forward to group runs during her marathon training block. Even on vacation, she’d join the LU chapter of EZRC and enjoy being able to experience the town in a new light. She tells me, “Running with a club helped me be more accountable with my practice, by making running a fun social event that I look forward to, rather than a chore that I had to accomplish.”
Running might have gotten more popular due to its relatively low barrier to entry. There is little gear required outside of socks and shoes, and the venue is free! Groups also provide a safe atmosphere to ward off any potential harm, especially at night.
‘ ’24’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:e000c7f7-a7fc-4983-ab34-df38402f10e6’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘Rachel running Celest through the basic chess moves. Photo
Celest L. (she/they), 28, Makeup Artist and Rachel M. (she/her), 29, Creative Manager
It’s been a few years since the release of “The Queen’s Gambit,” but more than a handful of people still keep a chess app on their phone to unwind. Rachel tells me about Lichess, an app that not only allows you to find matches within your ranking, but also watch top-level tournaments unravel online. She says, “I don’t often play with the intention of raising my rank, but more to tickle my brain.”
There isn’t necessarily a local community in mind when you think about playing chess at a casual level, more of friend groups goofing off, which is how Celest picked up her skills from Rachel one afternoon in Deja Brew Cafe in Maginhawa. Both regard the laid-back neighborhood joint for its homey atmosphere. “For me and many of my friends, our social lives center around nightlife (for some it’s an occupational obligation),” says Rachel. “Being in those spaces can lead to a lot of burnout, so we try to plan alternative places to meet up that don’t require so much of our energy.”
By nature of chess being a tabletop game, it’s more accessible to all bodies, and can bridge the gap between generations and backgrounds. It’s also the kind of hobby that falls into the cracks of whatever time you have to spare. A nice replacement behavior for social media. Celest tells me, “As someone with ADHD, I see how it could have helped me become a better problem solver growing up. Most Tiktok trends are ridiculous but if kids can learn chess there without being intimidated by it, that would be so cool.”
‘ ’25’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:a2a322fb-8401-4707-b0ec-d3212bf6c8e3’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘The learning curve to pickleball is gentle, and requires less physicality than high-impact racquet sports like tennis and squash. Photo
Enzo Santos (he/him), 26, CEO of Oven Depot and Outdoor Depot
Despite existing for nearly 60 years, pickleball appears to have come out of nowhere. Before its massive popularity, it was a niche racquet sport primarily played in the Pacific Northwest area of the United States. Rightly so, Enzo first played pickleball during a trip to San Francisco — just one state away from its locale of origin. He bought a Sellkirk paddle, which he took home and used to teach friends at The Zone Sports Center in Makati City. Mondays through Fridays, they host pickleball open play from 10am to 1pm.
“Badminton courts are the same size as Pickleball courts — you just need to change the placement of the lines and net,” Enzo explains. He describes the learning curve as gentle, and requiring less physicality than high-impact racquet sports like tennis and squash. “When I first played pickleball in SF, my friends and I (26-year-olds) got beat numerous times by retired people in their 70s, one of whom had back surgery recently.” Now, Enzo imports Selkirk paddles in order to cater to players of all levels.The trendy nature of the game has also made it a great marketing ploy for young businesses. On August 25, natural wine bar Bombvinos! hosted pickleball open play in The Zone accompanied by food and libations.
READ: Your guide to a boozy Makati weekend
Sophia Abiera (she/her), 31, Customer Management Officer
Sophia found a new source of freedom while feeling isolated working as an OFW in Malaysia during lockdown. Her aunt advised her to try roller skating as a physical outlet, and Sophia immediately fell in love with the joy and liberation it brought to her routine. “With each glide, it felt like I was soaring through the sky, free from life’s burdens,” she tells me. Now based back home in Manila, she often practices with a close-knit friend group of fellow skaters. They’re now known as Roller Dance Manila — or RDM for short.
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Individual sports like roller skating are a great option for more “shy types” who don’t like the pressure of competition, but the local community is as open and welcoming as ever. Just last year, a mini-rink and dance studio called Rolyosk8house opened in Ayala Circuit Makati. The space caters to rhythm skating, the dance-centric discipline of roller skating that Sophia considers her core competency. The year before that, Roller Disco opened in Fisher Mall Cubao, boasting a nostalgic atmosphere for patrons to feel their fantasy.
