‘Rousing the Dragon’ for Fitness, tourism in Bohol

One doesn’t need to be in top shape, all one needs is commitment.

And true to his word, despite stacking commitments as Bohol’s top eye, ear, nose and throat specialist, paddler, Dr. Theodore Dumaluan, still found the time to do what he and his group of paddlers have been doing since 2011.

“Spread the culture of dragon boating in Bohol,” he said, same commitment that takes a huge slice of his time even as he adeptly switches from a water sports athlete to a surgeon and a press relations officer, if the situation warrants.

Stepping into the studio after performing an eye surgery in a nearby hospital, Dr. Dumaluan, or Doc Doyet to his brother paddlers, has been hitting the catch since 2011, when dragon boating was introduced to the Boholanos.

Acknowledged founder and president of the Bohol Paddlers Association Incorporated, Doc Doyet who has been a paddler, organized mountaineers and outdoors men in Bohol to comprise the competitive Bohol Paddlers team which entered a race in Iloilo and went home with two trophies.

“It was in 2011, when Dragonboating was introduced in Bohol, with General Charlie Holganza, he recalls as he was joined in the show by Bohol’s elite paddlers Dominic Borja Aparicio, Jeramel Decasa and their coach trainor Asterio Pocot.

Dragon boating is a team water sports which features 12 or 22 paddlers on an open canoe paddling in a competitive stroke rate stoked by the pace of the drum to get to a finish line in the shortest amount of time.

Everyone in the team has to be focused, paying attention to teammates as they, aided by the steersman, traverse the shortest distance to the end with in the shortest time.

Noting that without its own dragon boats, it would not sustain, Dumaluan, who is also a boat maker asked the help of groups to get Bohol its dragon boats.

The benefits of discipline, commitment, team-work and environmental consciousness are the greatest things a paddler can get training his endurance, resolve and dedication to the end, paddlers enumerate the benefits, not mentioning the physical fitness accumulated in hours upon hours of strenuous paddling.

In 2013, we were training for a race in Penang Malaysia, when the earthquake hit Bohol. At that time, we decided to help ferry the passengers and relief goods crossing the Abatan River as the bridge collapsed and cut the access to Bohol’s western towns, Aparicio recalled, himself contagiously spreading the good feeling as paddlers relived the moment.

“We were there, from 6 am until midnight, without stopping, carrying relief goods and earthquake
victims to hospitals, and somebody even lent us a generator to keep us from paddling,” he went on.

Helping those in need then became BPAI’s mission in spreading the dragonboat culture.

In Loboc,when typhoon Senyang dumped above average rainfall into the watershed, the water in the town rushed up to the houses’ roofs, trapping many up in their highest perches.

Paddlers were also there, the advantage of the dragon boats in rescue highlighted by its sleek canoe that can penetrate narrow waterways.

The strong spirit of being in a family and a strong support group is a common paddler bond, as they train and paddle together, tightening the connection to help each other.

Seen as a great diversion from bad peer influence, Doc Doyet points out the critical role of the water sports in helping attain a good mental and emotional health.

The strong support system among paddlers can not be undermined, and that should help build more emotionally and physically stable individuals, many agree.

Now intent on spreading the culture to the grassroots, BPAI is now talking with the local officials to hold and host dragon boat events, trainor and coach Pocot shared.

Paddlers are also eying the use of spectacular inland water reservoirs and dams as venues for these grassroots competitions.

Getting younger paddlers into the sports assures its sustainability and a good supply of young blood.

With local paddlers committing to uncovering exciting race formats, dragon boating in Bohol may indeed be cruising to a better future.

While doing this, tourism stakeholders agree that there are thousands of dragon boat teams all over the world and are just waiting to be invited to play in Bohol’s wonderful water race courses.

A dragon boat team, when they come, would be about 30 in one go, and that is not yet counting the families and friends that tag along them, Dumaluan illustrated, showing the potential tourism revenues the sports tourists can lend to Bohol.

For those interested to join, BPAI is an open group, and we would only need commitment, the eye specialist said.

Join us in our trainings every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 5:00 AM at the K of C Drive. Talk to us through our Facebook page, and paddle with us, Dumaluan urged.

The dream of reclaiming Bohol as dragon boating capital in the region, may still need so much, but for the BPAI, all it needs is one committed paddle at a time. (rahc/PAI-7/Bohol)