Why We Need More Skate parks in the Philippines

Skateparks build and sustain healthy local communities. As a place for fun loving and athletic youth, the skatepark provides the forum for visitors young and old, beginning and skilled, to meet and share skateboarding experiences. For many skateboarding youth, the skatepark becomes a home-away-from-home.

“The Philippines has a lot of skateboarding enthusiasts – youth who skateboard for leisure and enjoyment. And now that skateboarding has been officially recognized as an Olympic sport, building skate parks can help us discover and train the next Margielyn Didal.” - PBA Party-list spokesperson Atty. Migs Nograles

Margielyn Didal became the first Filipino to join the X Games way back in 2018. In the same year, she became a fan darling when she won gold in the Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. She also bagged the gold medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games and bronze at the Tampa Women’s Open in 2020. She played through an apparent injury and took the seventh spot at the end of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics women’s street skateboarding event. 

There are several reasons why we need more skate parks in the Philippines:

1. Promote Physical Fitness: Skateboarding is a great way to stay physically fit and active. By providing more skate parks, we can encourage more people to take up the sport and reap the health benefits.
2. Provide a Safe Environment: Without dedicated skate parks, skateboarders may be forced to skate in public areas that are not designed for the sport, such as sidewalks or parking lots. This can be dangerous both for the skateboarder and for other pedestrians. Skate parks provide a designated, safe space for skateboarders to practice their skills.
3. Foster a Sense of Community: Skateboarding is not just a sport, it's also a culture. By providing more skate parks, we can help to build a sense of community among skateboarders and provide a space for them to socialize and connect with others who share their passion for the sport.
4. Boost Tourism: Skateboarding is a popular sport around the world, and there are many tourists who travel specifically to visit skate parks. By providing more skate parks, we can attract more tourists to the Philippines and promote the country as a destination for skateboarding enthusiasts.
5. Support Youth Development: Skateboarding can be a positive outlet for young people, providing them with a way to stay active, develop new skills, and connect with others. By investing in skate parks, we can support the development of young people and help to keep them engaged in positive activities.

There could be various reasons why there's no skate park in your local community. Some possible explanations include:

1. Lack of demand: There may not be enough skateboarders or BMX riders in your area to justify the construction of a skate park.
2. Lack of space: Building a skate park requires a significant amount of space, and your area may not have enough available land to accommodate a skate park.
3. Budget constraints: Constructing a skate park can be expensive, and your local government may not have the funds to invest in one.
4. Safety concerns: There may be concerns about the safety of skateboarders and BMX riders, which could lead to opposition to building a skate park in your area.
5. Zoning restrictions: Your area may have zoning restrictions that prohibit the construction of a skate park.

If you're interested in seeing a skate park built in your area, you could try contacting your local government or community organization to see if there are any plans in the works or to suggest the idea. Additionally, you could try organizing a group of skateboarders or BMX riders in your area to demonstrate the demand for a skate park.

Overall, by investing in more skate parks, we can promote physical fitness, provide a safe environment, foster a sense of community, boost tourism, and support youth development in the Philippines.