 by Mark Villamora As the world celebrates Women’s Month, the continued growth of girls’ participation in rugby in Olongapo City stands as a powerful example of how sport can create opportunities, confidence, and leadership among young women. Through the Pass It Back program of the Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU), more girls are not only playing the sport but also stepping into leadership roles as youth coaches, helping shape the next generation of athletes. With support from the Southeast Asia Sport and Youth Crime Prevention (SYCP) Initiative, the PRFU delivers Pass It Back, a rugby and life-skills program empowering young people and strengthening communities. In Olongapo City, the program has expanded safe opportunities for girls on and off the field. Recent data from the Pass It Back program highlights how female participation continues to lead the way. Across three seasons of the program from August 2024 to December 2025, Pass It Back Olongapo engaged 530 youth players, with almost 60 percent being girls. Among the participants was one female player with a disability, reflecting the program’s commitment to inclusion and equal access to sport. The program also welcomed nine non-cisgender participants, showcasing its dedication to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all young athletes.  In every season, female participation has consistently outnumbered male participation. This trend shows that girls make up the majority of participants in the local program, demonstrating a strong and growing interest in rugby among young women in the community.  Equally important is the development of female leadership within the program. Across the past three seasons, Pass It Back Olongapo has been supported by 14 female youth coaches compared to 12 male coaches. Women have consistently represented the majority of coaches in the program, reinforcing the initiative’s commitment to empowering women not only as athletes but also as mentors and leaders in sport.  Pass It Back coach training in Subic, Aug 2025 For many participants, Pass It Back is more than just a sports program. It is a platform where girls gain confidence, build friendships, and learn life skills that extend far beyond the rugby field. With more female coaches stepping up and more girls joining teams each season, the program is helping reshape the landscape of youth rugby in the Philippines.
As Women’s Month reminds us of the importance of creating equal opportunities, Pass It Back Olongapo shows how intentional investment in girls’ sport can transform communities. By ensuring that girls have the space to play, lead, and thrive, the program continues to pass the ball forward to the next generation of women in rugby. The PRFU would like to thank the Southeast Asia Sport and Youth Crime Prevention (SYCP) Initiative for awarding us a grant to create more opportunities for girls and young women in youth rugby. This support allows Pass It Back to create safe spaces where youth, especially girls and those at higher risk, can build confidence, develop life skills, and form positive connections, empowering young people and strengthening communities. About Philippine Rugby Football Union The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) is the governing body for the sport of rugby in the Philippines. Established in 1998, PRFU is dedicated to the development and promotion of rugby across the country, from grassroots to elite levels. PRFU oversees various rugby programs, competitions, and national teams, aiming to make rugby a major sport in the Philippines. About Southeast Asia Sport and Youth Crime Prevention (SYCP) Initiative The SYCP Initiative is a visionary and groundbreaking programme that uses sport to build safer and more resilient communities. Initiated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Agence française de développement (AFD), the Initiative is coordinated by the Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice (AoS) and delivered in collaboration with a wide network of national, regional and international partners. About Pass It Back Pass It Back is an integrated rugby and life skills learning curriculum designed by ChildFundRugby to equip children and young people to overcome challenges, inspire positive social change, and ‘pass it back’ to their communities. Through play-based learning, young people gain critical social and emotional skills that build confidence, resilience, and leadership – both on and off the field. About ChildFund Rugby ChildFund Rugby, World Rugby’s Global Social Impact Partner, harnesses the power of rugby to drive positive social change, supporting children and young people in vulnerable situations to build leadership, resilience, and shape their own futures. For inquiries, please contact: [email protected]  by Mark Villamora The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) proudly announces the travelling squad that will represent the country at the SEA Women’s XVs Championship 2026, to be held at Padang Astaka, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from February 8–14, 2026. Following a seven-year hiatus, the Philippine Women’s Rugby National Team returns to the international XVs stage, marking an important step forward in the continued growth of women’s rugby in the country. The PRFU extends its appreciation to the Southeast Asia Rugby Federation (SEARF) and the Malaysia Rugby Union for hosting this championship, which provides valuable international exposure and strengthens regional competitiveness.  Below is the official travelling line-up of the Philippine Women’s Rugby XVs National Team:
Players
Coaching & Management Staff Head Coach: Hasan Ilter Assistant Coach: Serupepeli Naqasima Physiotherapists: Rico Barin (Camp), Jun Whei Cheah (On-Tour) Team Manager: Lalaine Joyce Bacus The Philippine Women’s XVs team will open its campaign on Wednesday, February 11, against Singapore, with kickoff scheduled for 4:00 PM. About Philippine Rugby Football Union The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) is the governing body for the sport of rugby in the Philippines. Established in 1998, PRFU is dedicated to the development and promotion of rugby across the country, from grassroots to elite levels. PRFU oversees various rugby programs, competitions, and national teams, aiming to make rugby a major sport in the Philippines. For inquiries, please contact: [email protected] by Mark Villamora The Philippine Men’s Rising Stars are set to represent the country at the 2026 Southeast Asian 7s, scheduled on January 30–31 at the Singapore Recreation Club and the National Stadium in Singapore. The Rising Stars squad brings together a promising mix of young talent and developing national prospects as they compete against teams from across the region in the fast-paced sevens format.  Players representing the Philippines:
Head Coach – Serupepeli Naqasima Physiotherapist – Jun Whei Cheah Team Manager – Jane Francisco The Philippines will open its campaign against Indonesia at 9:20 AM (PHT), aiming to start strong in the tournament and showcase the country’s growing depth in rugby sevens. About Philippine Rugby Football Union The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) is the governing body for the sport of rugby in the Philippines. Established in 1998, PRFU is dedicated to the development and promotion of rugby across the country, from grassroots to elite levels. PRFU oversees various rugby programs, competitions, and national teams, aiming to make rugby a major sport in the Philippines. For inquiries, please contact: [email protected] by Mark Villamora
The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU), following the submission of its proposal, held a meeting with the Department of Education (DepEd) on January 20 to discuss the implementation of the “Bayanihan Rugby: A Sport for Development Pilot Program.” The meeting was attended by Cesar S. Abalon, Chief Education Program Specialist from the Bureau of Learner Support Services (BLSS) of the Department of Education. This initiative aims to collaborate with DepEd in delivering a values-based sports program that uses rugby as a tool for education, inclusion, and positive youth development. Through structured and age-appropriate activities, the program seeks to integrate physical activity with character formation inside the school setting. The proposed pilot program will be implemented in the Pasig Division, targeting eight public elementary schools. It will focus on Grade 5 students (ages 10–11) through teacher-led sessions based on the PRFU’s Rugby Rising Play curriculum. The program emphasizes the use of sport to develop essential life skills such as discipline, respect, leadership, teamwork, and conflict resolution. Through this pilot, the PRFU and DepEd aim to explore how rugby can support holistic learning and contribute to the overall development of Filipino youth at the grassroots level. About Philippine Rugby Football Union The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) is the governing body for the sport of rugby in the Philippines. Established in 1998, PRFU is dedicated to the development and promotion of rugby across the country, from grassroots to elite levels. PRFU oversees various rugby programs, competitions, and national teams, aiming to make rugby a major sport in the Philippines. For inquiries, please contact: [email protected] by Mark Villamora The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) proudly announces the official rosters of the men’s and women’s national rugby teams that will represent the country at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, to be held at the Royal Thai Air Force Stadium in Pathum Thani, Thailand, on December 13–14, 2025. Rugby returns to the SEA Games stage after six years, following the 2019 edition hosted by the Philippines, where the men’s team captured gold and the women’s team earned silver. Philippine Women’s Rugby 7s Official Line-Up 1. Jacky Rodriguez 2. Jas Torio 3. Patricia Mangahas 4. Erica Legaspi 5. Sylvia Tudoc 6. Lauryn Nazareno 7. Vanessa Cifuentes 8. Bhea Estacio 9. Naomi Carrillo 11. Janin Puig 12. Lora Mateo (C) 14. Nicole Kovanen 15. Rara Sales (C) Head Coach: Samantha Scott Asst. Coach: Tommy Gilbert, Alena Olsen (Training Camp) Physiotherapist: Harry Fardell Team Manager: Mark Villamora Philippine Men’s Rugby 7s Official Line-Up 1. Harrison Blake (C) 2. Edlen Hernandez 3. Robert Fogerty 4. Raphael Barberis 5. Michael Blatteis 6. Luc Smith 7. Donald Coleman 8. Kai Stroem (C) 9. Nicholas Robertson 10. Jerome Rudder 11. Charles Warren 12. Rafael Phillips 13. Ned Stephenson Head Coach: Darryl Suasua Asst. Coach: Jake Letts Physiotherapist: Declan Drake Team Manager: Lalaine Bacus The Philippine Rugby National Team will open its SEA Games campaign against Malaysia tomorrow, December 13, with the women’s team kicking off at 3:55 PM PHT and the men’s team at 4:45 PM PHT at the Royal Thai Air Force Stadium. Following a 10-day intensive training camp, these athletes have been carefully selected to defend the country’s rugby throne. A special thanks to Miguel Moldez for designing the Volcanoes jersey for this SEA Games edition. About Philippine Rugby Football Union The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) is the governing body for the sport of rugby in the Philippines. Established in 1998, PRFU is dedicated to the development and promotion of rugby across the country, from grassroots to elite levels. PRFU oversees various rugby programs, competitions, and national teams, aiming to make rugby a major sport in the Philippines. For inquiries, please contact: [email protected] |
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