by Harry
Press Release: Untold Story of “Liha” Sandpaper Racket
English translation of’ world news’ newspaper article
– after their trip from Japan.
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Lecture and desmonstration of “liha” table tennis by Philippine representatives in the 11th International Table tennis Federation sports science congress amazed international representatives.
( below is the narration of the performance of Mr. Peter Cua and a Filipino professor at the 11th ITTF Sports Science Congress )
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Tick tack, tick tack , the ball sounded exceptionally crisp as it was being hit by sandpaper table tennis racket and slowly moves From one end of the table to the other .
Philippine representatives Mr. Cua and professor santelices demonstrated the sandpaper racket table tennis in the 11th international table tennis federation sports congress which was held in Yokohama Japan.
Before the closing ceremony each country’s representatives were preparing for their friendship match , Philippine representatives Mr. Peter Cua ,
a Filipino –chinese former national table tennis player whos currently the officer of the Filipino-Chinese Table Tennis association together with professor Oscar Santelices ( Mr. Cuas former comrade in the Philippine National Team) and currently a physical education consultant of University of the Philippines and Philippine women’s University were demonstrating the playing of the table tennis using sandpaper rackets.
After a short demo, international representatives including those from mainland China, Taiwan, Iran , Japan, Egypt, and Slovenia curiously held this so called “sandpaper” racket which was long been banned in the international competitions , eventually they started playing it with eagerness filling the venue with laughter and cheers !!!
(2)
This 30 minute demonstration held before the friendship match was specially requested by Mr. Peter cua from the authorities so that aside from the podium and video presentation they made in a conference held the day before, the international representatives would personally experience how it is being played and understand its function . they also presented their thesis regarding the Philippines’ Sandpaper table tennis to the sports congress. The title of their thesis is : Historical, Traditional and cultural significance – the untold story of “liha” sandpaper racket play of the table tennis in the Philippines.
The origin of this thesis has a great background. It started in the Mr. cua’s daily life as he came across some communities in the Philippines where in many Filipino still commonly play table tennis using a paddle made with 6×8 inch wooden board covered with sandpaper on both sides. This kind of racket has long been obsolete since the mid 50’s and was eventfully replaced with rubber racket with is now being used in international tournament and practices, that’s why the practice of using sandpaper racket has disappeared in international and national sports scene, however, Mr. cua has observed that this practice is still commonly used in remote barrios , coastal fishing villages and among the poor and ordinary people in metropolitan areas. Moreover, he has also seen this commonly played in events like fiestas where players and spectators are betting on “liha” games. This compelled him to ask the help and collaboration of his former table tennis comrades who has a degree in Physical Education to make a Scientific research about the origin and development of the said sport. The 2 collaborated and finally finished the thesis regarding this subject in a year’s time , and sent ito to ITTF Subsidiary , International sport science Division. After a few months they received an invitation form Professor Tsuji who is the chairperson of the 11th SPORTS SCIENCE CONGRESS to present and expound their thesis to the international representatives joining the said event that will be held on April 25- 27 , so that the international representatives will understand the use of sandpaper racket and its influence in the table tennis in the Philippines
*3)
The day before the event, the two presented and expounded this subject using charts and pictures which showed a lot of intentional and local distinguished table tennis players using this so called” sandpaper racket in playing tablet tennis . They pointed out that the speed and the spin of the ball hit by a sandpaper racket is not as fast as when hit by a rubber racket, so less intensity is required, that’s why it takes longer time to determine the winner,. This makes the sport suitable for fitness and physiological exercise, especially for older people. The cost of sandpaper racket is cheaper compared to the fast increasing price of rubber rackets so its more practical for the low-income earning masses. The popularity of th rubber racket may also be the reasons behind the
“ overpricing” of this particular sport equipment
The final objective of the presentation and theses is to appeal to the ITTF to legalize the use of sandpaper racket As an “additional variant” only and hopefully to arrange the hold of few sandpaper table tennis activities of games in between international tournaments
The sports science, As an organization whose function is to conduct scientific research on the different fields of table tennis including coaching, biomechanics, ergonomics, expert system, fitness testing, injuries and their prevention, nutrition, physiology, psychology, rehabilitation and training and so on, the organization has the right to raise to the overall committee its suggestion and propose measures to implement.
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Going back to the demonstration scene, after the 2 demonstrated the game, and the international representatives tried out the game by themselves, they discovered that everyone was unfamiliar and felt curious about it. Mr. Cua distributed the 12 sandpaper rackets he brought from . the Philippines to some of the delegation heads the congress officers including Mr. Chuck Hoey, Swiss national and curator of International Table Tennis Museum, oddly, he was the only person there who’s very knowledgeable about sandpaper racket. In return, Mr. Chuck Hoey gave Mr. Cua an exquisite sandpaper racket which was made in USA in circa 1920
On the same venue where the 2009 International Table Tennis Tournament was being held, the 2 who accomplished their mission met with PSC commissioner Harry Angping who personally came to check the World Tournament. They thanked the commissioner for financing their trip even if the Philippines has no complete delegates in this year’s international table tennis tournament, the board of PSC reviewed the thesis and might have realizes that the “liha “ table tennis richly reflects the Philippine culture and that many Filipinos have the potential to excel in this sport , If the said sport will be legalized ,there’s a great possibility that the Philippines can also bring home medals
During this trip they also had the rare chance to meet with many prominent and renowned international table tennis players whom they admire including ms. Zhang Yi Ning, Mr. Ma Lin and Mr. Wang Hao of China who had picture taking with them. This made their trip more memorable.
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(5)
Before this article had been published ,they received several mails in response to their thesis, below is the synopsis of two of the most significant mails.
1)From ITTF Museum curator Mr. chuck Hoey:
Mr. Chuck Hoey thanked Mr. cua for the splendid “ liha “ racket he personally
made and donated moreover he said that he will display in in an upcoming exhibit
to be held in Moscow in 2010. Finally he commended Mr. cua for his passion and
contribution the sport of table tennis and hailed him and Professor Santelices as
“liha ambassadors”
2)From Dr. Miran Kondric, University in Ljubljana, Slovenia Faculty of Sport and ittf Congress committee member: Miran Kondric expressed that his students tried the liha racket and fell in love with it he mentioned their plan to visit the Philippines this year to study the phenomena and application of this sport in the country . Mr. cua and Mr. Santelices are now communicating with the University of the Philippines for the preparation in accommodating these Eastern European delegates. .
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Pictures :
Left: some offices f he Sports Sceience Congress and Representatives of various
countries, Mr. Peter cua (x) and U.P. Professor Oscar Santileces (xxx)
Middle : Mr. Peter S. cua with PSC Commissioner Harry Agping in the 2009
International Table Tennis Tournamen, Yokohama Japan
Right : Peter Cua and Oscar Santileces in a rare chance meeting with 2009 Table tennis
Men’s Single World Champion Mr. Wang Hao of China
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great..and good luck to liha…congratulations sir pete
galing naman!!, congratulations Mr. Peter Cua and Prof. Oscar Santilleces you are putting us on the map. The recognition of Philippine Liha, by the international table tennis community which you have made possible is truly amazing.
not yet really recognize but hopefully down the road eventually will, we will ill work on it. -jojo
when we were there, we felt like showing out an old “aeta” bow and arrow in a competitions of modern archery with all of those modern scopes and aides attach in their so called weapon. – its more of relying on “equipment “ war I tell you. ahahahah – such a relics they say! ! or yet showing a Filipino jeepney or old vintage Chevrolet automobile in a group where expensive Ferrari cars are being raced on the track. Or bring a “bakya shoe” in a shoe expo world trade in Milan, italy.!!!! Or showing tinikling dance in a world dance show … and the list goes on hoping to find a suitable metaphore.
They told us they “thought” they knew “cars” or “archery” or “cultural shoes” histories at all . they are NOT smiling but “wide eye” with a thankful heart! ! while the only “smiling face ” sometimes we usually are greeted upon when we talk of these things and many NOT convince at all at “binibiro” pa kadalasan are our own race- Filipinos at home. !! Imagine.
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now heres an exampke, , im sure di na tatawa ang marami:
try to ask Richard gonzales where hes skills came from , his background. – Richard came from being a pure “lihador “ from cebu and his liha skills from this had been applied to rubber.( pimples ) And won the seatta champion down the road. – this is just one proofs and “secret weaponry” only Filipinos happens and fortunately has and know about. So hes the only guy who made unreacheable history sa atin.
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I envy at our own cultural arnis. – foreigners flocks in bus load flown from abroad just to learn our cultural arnis. , I saw it with our own eyes.and I have friends of arnis instructors testifying on that. Now they are earning dollars. , the worldwide internet bandwagon contacts just made a boom on their activity.
hope they will be doing that in the near future – liha! – the kind of aerobically play we are good at . but we got to show the healthful “benefits” of playing liha and how to “apply it” to the modern style of play . – well, do you know? Well for a few of us – fortunately we happen to know ! so we are trying to share it nga. at kung medyo bata kayo at di nyo na abutan ang liha sorry, malas nyo lang . Ahahahah
sa goma ,tayo lage ang dadayo sa labas dahil laro nila ito at goma nila ( origin)
forget “goma” na dadadayuhin tayo ( Malabo yon ! ) we are nothing in table tennis map of destination for goma at forget ilalagay tayo sa ”limelight ’ for that. – ( except Richard nga whose background came from a pure lihador and knows the trick of the trade converting from liha handsrtoke to using tricky modern pimples “converted” by his liha skill background nga ) alam nyo ba ito? I bet many don’t know the “inside” story. – medyo technical ito. Sorry kung di ma gets ng iba in an instant. Pero kaming oldies na analyze namin agad and saw the “ potential “ of this.
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pete
Pete,
“I bet many don’t know the “inside” story. – medyo technical ito.”
Sana mai share niyo ang inside story para malaman din namin
Jo