What is Filipinas in Sport?

Filipinas in Sport is AFCS’ latest health promotion campaign that aims to:

Promote physical activity in Filipino women and girls in leading healthy and active lives

Celebrate the achievements of Filipino sportswomen and girls

The Gilas Pilipinas Women’s Team and AFCS Work Together for a Common Cause

In launching this campaign into the community mid-2023, AFCS sponsored the national women’s basketball team of the Philippines, Gilas Pilipinas Women (GPW) while in Melbourne to acclimatise to Australia’s weather conditions ahead of the FIBA Asia Cup in Sydney late June. Both AFCS and GPW share common aims in advancing Filipinas in sport and teamed up to deliver two exhibition matches. The team arrived in Melbourne on 18 June 2023 receiving a warm welcome from AFCS staff and volunteers at Melbourne Airport.

While in Melbourne, the team played two exhibition matches in the City of Brimbank and the City of Casey. AFCS, in partnership with Keilor Basketball and Casey Basketball delivered the Filipinas in Sport Exhibition Matches featuring the Gilas Pilipinas Women and Keilor Thunder Women on 20 June and Casey Cavaliers Youth Champ Women on 22 June.

The Keilor game brought in 430 patrons and the Casey game just over 700!

The events also included the Filipinas in Sport Expo including various sportswoman and girls in Melbourne sharing their achievements and sporting journeys.

The events both started with all-girls basketball clinics facilitated by the GPW players for young girls and emerging talent players. The team led the children in various ball activities that encompassed a positive and encouraging atmosphere for the children. Towards the end of the clinic, GPW players offered Words of Encouragement to the children, encouraging them to chase their dreams, not give up, have fun and be physically active.

During the events, AFCS fundraised for the Filipinas in Sport campaign by selling memorabilia shirts and official photos with the GPW team. Across the two events, AFCS raised $1,291.50. These funds will go towards delivering physical activities and support to reduce Filipino women and girls to engaging in physical activity and sports. AFCS will continue fundraising for the campaign throughout the year.
Between the two exhibition matches, the Philippine Consulate General Melbourne hosted the Welcome Brunch for the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s Team.

Those in attendance include Consul General Maria Lourdes Salcedo, Consul Jan Wenceslao, Consul Ralph Abarquez and AFCS Board of Directors.

During the team’s time in Melbourne they delivered two Seniors Basketball Clinic with AFCS’ seniors from the north-west suburbs, and seniors from the south-east suburbs of Melbourne. The purpose of these clinics was to encourage physical activity despite your physical limitations and age, and adapting to these challenges to remain active.

We thank the following people for making the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s Team trip possible and the two exhibition matches:

Filipinas in Sport Event Organiser Corina Dutlow, Managing Director
Lisa Hester from South East Volunteers for the provision and coordination of volunteers tonight
Charles Te Liaison person for the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s Basketball Team while in Australia
Consul General Maria Lourdes Salcedo and the Philippine Consulate General Melbourne
Gilas Pilipinas Women’s Team Manager Michael Lim and Head Coach Pat Aquino, and their coaching and support staff
Giles Pilipinas Women’s Team
Casey Basketball CEO Tammy Bower and her team
Casey Cavaliers Youth Champ Women’s Team
Keilor Basketball General Manager Jackson Taylor and his team
Keilor Basketball Women’s Team
AFCS staff, volunteers and clients
AFCS Exhibition Match Cheerers