CHILDFUND Pass It Back, an innovative sport for development program managed by ChildFund and partnering in the Philippines with the Philippine Rugby Football Union, is hosting the PRFU ChildFund Pass It Back Cup on Aug. 5.
The competition will consist of 25 teams of more than 250 participants from the cities of Bacolod, Bago, and Talisay.
The competition is the culminating event of the first season of a program that was launched for the first time in the Philippines in February 2017. Twenty young adults, with no rugby or life skills coaching experience, were trained to become PRFU coaches and deliver an integrated rugby and life skills curriculum that promotes young people’s health and wellbeing, and provides important leadership and life skills learning opportunities.
ChildFund Pass It Back is a part of the Rugby World Cup 2019 IMPACT Beyond program, which aims to grow the game across Asia in the lead up to the first Rugby World Cup to be held in the region. The program in the Philippines is supported by the Australian Government through its Asia Sports Partnerships initiative.
“The coaches and children are really excited about the PRFU ChildFund Pass It Back Cup,” said PRFU Development Officer Anne Sajorne. “They are excited to wear jerseys designed by the teams and to have a great day of fun together. We are also really excited to welcome a delegation from the Japan Rugby Football Union, which includes top level athletes, to inspire our players to stay with the sport!”
“PRFU is really pleased with the progress of this program and the feedback from the players and coaches,” said PRFU Secretary General Ada Milby. “The ability to demonstrate that a program can successfully meet a 50% minimum participation target with girls is also a very big win for our union and for women in sports. This is in part due to ChildFund Pass It Back’s safeguarding practices. ChildFund’s expertise in this area was recently recognised by the Beyond Sport Awards, where it won the UNICEF Safeguarding Children in Sport Award.”
ChildFund Japan Philippine Office Country Director, Rina Munsayac, said: “This partnership has been a learning experience for all stakeholders involved and we are looking forward to see all the hard work come together in such a special event.”