By: Moujeck Cabales/Photos by: Jack Nonato and Moujeck Cabales/Article 1 of 7
People say skateboarding is the flashiest way to break bones and lose limbs. The noisy and rugged streets of Manila are a playground to this particular group of rowdy daredevil teenagers. Armed with skateboards, they strut and glide along the asphalt roads; never minding the painful lesions from always falling off the ground. They twist and turn at every corner, ollie up the curbs and sometimes grind along stairs that if they're not careful, they might roll on to the street and get run over by a jeepney. Sometimes they accidentally smash windows, topple off garbage bins and destroy government property. They are the same faces of every local skate competition. They've got the punk attitude, and everybody thinks they are an unproductive, wasted youth. At night, they run the streets wild. Low profile, rowdy and with youthful temperament, Manila's skater boys live out this unique kind of sport. It is a lifestyle, a subculture
How It All Began
During its birth and emergence in the 50s and 60s, the skateboard was nothing more than a practice toy for the California surfers. They used it to do their surfing tricks on land, when the waves were flat. Slowly on its own, it became a unique, freestyle kind of sport.
When the Age of Aquarius and flower power dawned, the Philippines had already its own emerging skateboard subculture. It was inherited from the Americans, much like how the hippie culture and Hollywood movies came here. Tony ‘Backside’ Nicolas, 35 years old, reminisced his teenage years when he first got hooked on skateboarding. “70s pa lang nakakakita na ko ng mga halfpipe d’yan sa Amoranto. 80s meron na din yan. (During the 70s and 80s, I was already seeing halfpipes in Amoranto)”, the old-school skater said. Because skateboarding embodies a youth attitude and urban lifestyle, the younger generation of Filipinos embraced the extreme sport wholeheartedly.
The sport's development soon slowed down after a decade though. And there wasn't as much enthusiasm for it, so the skateboard subculture remained an underground sport during the start of the 80s. But by the end of the decade, it livened up again and became a new outlet for teenagers to express their individuality. It turned into a form of creative expression, as more cultural influences such as rock music, punk fashion and lowbrow art added more dimensions to the extreme sport. It was elevated into something more than just a highly-dangerous activity.
Skateboarding’s Golden Decade
The 90s saw skateboarding reach its peak as the so-called MTV generation came-- there was some kind of an underground cultural ferment. The young people, much like the Hippies and Beatniks of the past, carved identities of their own. Individuality and creative expression became more pronounced, and everything that is not pop culture gained a following among the delinquent teenagers.
It was also during this decade that the skateboard finally became mass-produced (before, only a handful of companies made them). Almost everybody could own one. Numerous events and competitions mushroomed all over Manila. “Nung 90s grabe sunod-sunod yung mga events. Hindi ko na matandaan sa sobrang dami. (In the 90s the events followed one after another. I couldn’t remember anymore because they’re too many)”, said Tony. For skateboarders, they could be the best days. But it mellowed again by the end of the decade and was replaced by other more palatable, cultural products-- the extreme sport just couldn't seem to rise up above its subculture status.
Skateboarding though isn’t actually a lucrative venture. Opening a skate shop or holding a competition could be very hard, as there weren’t much companies who would sponsor for them. Even if it was a hit among the youth, it still had no huge following compared to other famous sports such as basketball or football. It was a niche market with a small audience, and so the enthusiasm during the 90s eventually mellowed down . And so skateboarding soon returned to its place as an underground sport.
Skateboarding Today
It has managed to survive through decades and it still thrives as a subculture among the youth of today. There are still skaters who would gather at their favorite spots at night, and a number of skate shops made by skaters turned entrepreneurs are yet around. And there are always event organizers who launch competitions in an effort to keep the extreme sport alive. For as long as there are followers, skateboarding would ever be around.
A lot of skateboarders who were active during the past few decades are still alive and very much enthusiastic about the sport today. Some of them made it their lifelong pursuit. “Marami akong kasabayan at kakilala dati na nag-isskate pa rin ngayon. Meron nga 56 na, naglalaro pa rin. (I have many friends, who were skaters before, still skate today. I even know one who is already 56 years old)”, he said. Tony admits though that his party-like-a-rock-star lifestyle then had mellowed out.
The veteran skateboarder is now also a small-scale entrepreneur. He opened a skate shop years ago, when he realized that his lifelong hobby could also be a business. His stall located in Cartimar, Recto, is a famous refuge for skaters, punks and metalheads alike. “Yung mga binebenta ko dito mga padala, yung iba nabili ko, nakita ko sa ukay, mga ganun. (The things I sell here are mostly from abroad, some I bought, some I saw on thrift stores, etc.)”, Tony said. Aside from that, he also repairs and customizes skateboards.
The popularity of the skateboarding subculture, like any other, would always come and go. It experienced a big boom during the late 70s, took a back seat in the early 80s, did a comeback in the 90s and is still quietly thriving today. When asked about the current skate scene in Manila, Tony concluded: “Alam mo kahit mamatay pa ko, kahit mawala pa ko, ang skateboard nandyan lang yan, papalit-palit (Even if I’m dead and gone, skateboarding will always be there, it will just evolve)”.
By: Moujeck Cabales/Photos by: Moujeck Cabales/Article 2 of 7
Student at day, skater at night. Every time their dull afternoon classes end, Jeremiah Abilado becomes ecstatic. The 18-year old engineering student and his friends become nocturnal, unconventional daredevils. They take their school uniforms off, and don their graphic shirts, maong pants and skate shoes--what's considered the cool get-up. Dressed with rocker looks, they arm themselves with their trusty skateboards. They leave their heavy books behind to be their truer selves . They skate like there’s no tomorrow. And they roam the streets of Manila in search of the best ‘skateboarding spots’.
Cultural Rendezvous
For a subculture to flourish and continue to exist, it must have some kind of a a meeting place where its followers assemble and live out their ways of life. While Bohemians and effete intellectuals have artsy cafes and galleries where they gather together to recite poetry and talk endlessly, skateboarders have their so-called ‘spots’ on streets where they play all day and night. But unlike the former's meeting place indoors, the latter's 'spots' are mere outdoor playgrounds for the extreme sports enthusiasts who constantly go around looking for the perfect asphalt road.
Abilado for one is like a nomad, always going around the city looking for places to play and skate. On some weekdays, depending on their on-the-moment predilections, he and his friends are in their spot in Intramuros. Two blocks away from the Manila Cathedral, the place is nothing more than a vacant and nondescript lot. Making the spot a genuine bohemian hodgepodge. Its walls are are filled with with colorful albeit funny vandals, like a painting of Jose Rizal for instance with shades on and another one of Einstein with his tongue sticking out.
By 4 PM , people come to the spot to just play and hang out. “May mga klase kasi kami kaya twice a week lang kami naglalaro dito (We have classes so we only play here twice a week)”, said Abilado. Though the place is riddled with broken glass shards and debris, Abilado likes to play here because he gets to meet other skateboarders. Plus for him the graffiti art looks cool.
Skateboarding Spots
Most skateboarding spots are just wide, open spaces and/or unused vacant lots. Unlike skate parks, these ‘spots’ have no custom-made half pipes, rails and ramps; so they makeshift with stairs, hollow-blocks, bricks which allows them to do tricks. Anything can be a skateboarding spot, from parks to parking lots--what is important for skateboarders is the open space and smooth-paved asphalt.
And they especially like the suave, marbled floors. On some Friday nights, Abilado and other skateboarders play at the KKK Monument in Lawton, another famous skateboarding spot. “Dito talaga kami naglalaro sa Lawton, pero minsan sa Intramuros (We actually play in Lawton, but sometimes in Intramuros)”, says Christian Donaire, also a usual face in the spot. The monument is a wide and prominent, marbled historical edifice, in the center of other Manila landmarks. Sidewalk vendors, astute students and lovebirds liven up the place as the skaters run the place wild. Every weekend, it becomes ‘the-place-to-be’ for extreme sports enthusiasts.
“Minsan pinapagalitan kami ng mga nagtitinda dun, tapos pinapaalis kami. Pero usually hindi naman eh, basta wag ka lang maninira ng gamit lalo na yung mga bricks dun (Sometimes we get scolded by the vendors, and tell us to go somewhere else. Sometimes they let us skate, as long as you don’t destroy properties especially the bricks there)”, says Donaire when asked if skateboarding at the KKK monument is illegal.
Brownie Gonzales, 20, and Jomar Lumaque, 21 said they like the obstacles around the edifice such as the stairs, pipes and boxes. This is also where they get to meet other skateboarders from all over Manila, because this spot is famous among people the skateboarding circuit. When asked if there is an imposed curfew here, Gonzales said that they are lucky because there is none.
Aside from that, there are still many ‘spots’ around Metro Manila, where at night skaters gather and play like there’s no tomorrow. They are just nondescript places - monuments, parks, parking lots. Because Abilado and his friends love the extreme sport, they’d go all over the city just to find the perfect locations to skate and to meet with other skateboarders.
A Unique Kind Of Play
Skateboarding is such a unique sport because it isn’t confined only to one place or one playground. The cultural norm here is that a skateboarder should go with friends around the metropolis and find spots. One skater said “Sa paglalaro ng skateboard kailangan ng traveling. Dumayo-dayo ka sa mga spots, makipagkilala ka sa ibang mga skateboarders (In playing the skateboard, traveling is a must. Go out there around in search of the perfect spots where you can socialize with other skateboarders)”.For them finding the perfect place to do their tricks is just as fun as doing the tricks itself.
By: Moujeck Cabales/Photos by: Moujeck Cabales/Article 3 of 7
Not minding the scorching summer heat, Bogart Revilla and his skater friends had gone on to a dull-looking playground in Marikina, geared with nothing but their trusty skateboards. They were dressed in their skater’s best: worn-out skate shoes, band shirts or long-sleeved polos, low-waist pants showing their boxer shorts. A week before, their Facebook accounts had been tagged with the event poster “Project Jordan: Skate for a Cause – Skate Jam and Competition”. Word of the event spread among the followers. Longing to play again under the sun, Revilla and his so-called Marilag Skate Crew trooped from Quezon City to Parang, Marikina, for the benefit skate jam.
Held last April 21, around a hundred skateboarders from all over the Metro came to the place. It was a spectacular sight to see, but there were not much audiences to cheer for those who perfected the awesome tricks.
The skate-for-a-cause event was for the immediate operation of the skater Ryan Roy Jordan, 'who sustained a blood clot from a severe head injury in a skateboarding related incident'. The event had no big name sponsors, much less a true skate park. Organizers instead brought their own makeshift ramps and rails so they can do tricks. During the skate jam they passed donation boxes. Being in election season, they also gave out free yellow baller bracelets with 'The Filipino is worth dying for' written on it. They didn't have skating apparels nor Tony Hawk nor electioneering politicians for sponsors, only their own efforts.
An Underground Affair
Being a low-profile subculture, skating events and competitions are only passed around through word of the mouth. Posters are made and gingerly pasted on walls and light posts, then uploaded on Facebook (today's top social networking site ). Every skater is tagged. Thanks to the Internet, anyone not living in caves can be informed. Venues for events are but wide, open spaces and organizers bring their own ramps and rails.
Hence it would be quite lucky if they can get international sponsors, like the Republ1c’s Summer Grind held last April 17. Held together with the launching of the XVIB Skate Park, the all-Filipino skateboarding company had big name global brands like C1RCA, Girl, Chocolate, Zero, Skull Candy and other lifestyle and clothing companies. Sweet deals, really.
Rica Santos, Marketing Manager of the Republ1c, stated that sponsors and investors for skating competitions are hard to come by. “Skateboarding is not a profitable venture, however. And there are few people who invest on it.”, she said. So that’s why skaters themselves go the extra mile just to hold events to keep the hype alive.
“Minsan may sponsor, minsan wala. Pag ganun, eh di ako lang (Sometimes there are sponsors, sometimes there are none. If there’s none, I’d do it myself)”, Jack Nonato said. Nonato, who also organizes contests for the Hampaslupa Skateboarding, shells out his own money when there are no big-shot patrons. He feels that talented skaters shouldn’t go unnoticed, so events should be held from time to time.. “Sayang ‘yung talent eh. Kung may malaking pera lang ako susuportahan ko silang lahat eh (Talents could go to waste. If I only had much money, I’d support them all), he added.
Go Skateboarding Day
Just recently, skateboarders across countries however had done tremendous efforts to promote the skateboarding subculture. In 2004, the International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC) declared the Go Skateboarding Day as an unofficial annual holiday. Celebrated every June 21, they do nothing but skate all day.
No Talk Of The Town
But more often than not, skateboarders organize events and competitions the underground way – no sponsor, no media coverage, no ads and out from the mainstream public attention. Though everyone is invited, there would only be a handful of spectators.
Bogart can do a lot of death-defying tricks but sadly, there aren't a lot of people who'd appreciate it. For as long skateboarding remains in the underground scene, Bogart's and his friends' talents would remain unnoticed and unappreciated.
By: Moujeck Cabales/Photos by: Moujeck Cabales/Article 4 of 7
When the skateboard subculture became a hit among the youngsters during the 90s, makeshift skate parks were the norm and standard. Basketball courts and government-owned recreation areas held numerous events and competitions then, as there were no professionally-designed ones during that time. In those days, skateboarding tricks were all done on the streets.
But skaters now need not fret the lack of half-pipes and quarter-pipes in Manila, because a real skate park had just been launched. Last April 17, the all-Filipino skateboarding and lifestyle brand Republ1c just unveiled the XVIB Skate Park in Makati City. Sponsored by international skateboarding names, the company also held a skate competition entitled 'Summer Grind'. Thanks to these guys, Filipino skaters now have their own true playground.
“XVIB Skate Park and all the events we hold aims to bring out the best Filipino skateboard talents”, said Rica Santos, Marketing Manager of the Republ1c. The XVIB (pronounced as ‘x-vibe’) is made by a California-based skate park design company. Filled with obstacles such as hip banks, fun box, quarter pipes, elbow pipe, ledge and rail, skaters would absolutely love this place. Players can enjoy skateboarding safely because it is located indoors, protected from the sun's heat and pouring rain.
The Summer Grind event began with the Skate Jam. Skateboarders from all over Manila ran the place wild ,nailing their tricks on the quarter pipes and fun box. The place was ram-packed with people--both skaters and spectators alike. Participants awed the viewers and guests with their muscle-ripping and vertigo-inducing stunts, and the on-lookers cheered and shouted on every trick that was perfected. The C1rca International Skate Team did a demo which stunned the audience all the more. These American skaters were also the judges of the event.
Marvin Basinal bagged the Skate Jam championship award, and received P10,000 cash and P10,000 worth of Republ1c goodies. Rasheed Al Rasheed on the other hand got the second place and won P7,000 plus freebies. The third place winner, Eunice Quillantang, brought home P5,000 cash and P5,000 worth of Republ1c treats. Jack Nonato of Hampaslupa Skateboarding meanwhile grabbed the Best Trick award.
“Wala lang, hindi naman ako naman ako sumali para sa premyo eh. Gusto ko lang mag-skate (No big deal, I didn’t join for the prize. I just wanted to skate)”, said Nonato, a skateboarder for 20 years now, when asked how he felt about his trophy.
“No, Republ1c is an all-Filipino company.”, said Santos when asked if the said brand is a foreign franchise. Established in 2008, Republi1c is a niche shop for markets of various subcultures, selling mostly skating and surfing apparels, skateboards and surfboards. Basically it is a store for those who live out the unconventional lifestyles.
They promote the best Filipino skateboarding talents by holding regular skate jams and competitions every year. The guys from Republ1c live out the skateboard subculture they embody, and they’re passionate about it.
“Skateboarding is not a profitable venture however, and there are a few people who invest on it.”, stated Santos when questioned why the extreme sport is still considered a subculture here in the Philippines. It is also the reason why there were no real skate parks here until the XVIB came out. But when asked about the current state of the skate scene in Manila, the petite marketing manager shared: “It is growing, and I’m happy that it is growing as it is”.
By: Moujeck Cabales/Photo by: Jack Nonato and Jun Celso/Article 5 of 7
“Eh baka mga thrasher-thrasheran lang yan (Probably they are just poseur thrashers)”, he bantered. As a proskater for almost 20 years, Jack Nonato now has a derisive amusement over youngsters today, who are trying too hard to be a skateboarder just to be considered 'cool'. Because he and his riders had been in the scene for so long, they had more experience than everybody else. They are the old-schools and hard-cores. And they don't call themselves a ‘skate team’ or a ‘skate crew’, because for them it’s too amateurish.
Nonato and his riders Apa Isla, Jerwin ‘Spunky’ Santos, Carl Mendoza, Dennis ‘Denoy’ Delfin, Ronald Chiong and resident artist Crist Espiritu composed the so-called Hampaslupa Skateboarding group. From what started as just neighbors playing skateboard on the streets during the 90s, it became a 20-year long band of skaters who are passionate for the extreme sport.
“Wala lang, mga magkakatropa lang. Magkakila-kilala lang kami (Nothing, we’re just a bunch of friends. We just sort of know each other), said the 33-year old Nonato when asked how their group came about. Based in Pasig City, this posse of street daredevils have become successful in their skateboarding craft over the years. With their noticeable talents, they got to travel and participate in different skate events and competitions around the country.
Nonato recalled the experiences of doing skateboard demonstrations during their sojourns. “Pumupunta kami sa Cebu, sa Iloilo ganyan pag may big events. Tapos pinag-dedemo kami, o kung minsan suporta lang sa kanila (We go to Cebu, Iloilo and such when there are big events. Then we were asked to do a demo, or sometimes just give support to them)”, said the talented skater. But because of the lack of big name sponsors, Nonato stated that in every skateboarding competition there’s not that much prize and financial assistance.
“Kahit walang bayad, walang pagkain, basta yung tutulugan. Kahit bus fare lang eh, kahit wala nang bayad (Even if there’s no talent fee, no food, just the accommodation. Bus fare is even okay with us, if there’s no pay)”, he recalled. Nonato admits they’re are not like the famous professional skateboarders who have made a lucrative business by getting royalties and doing skate demos.
Aside from that, the seasoned skater also shares his blessings by supporting other skaters when there are skate events and competitions. As of now, he sponsors two talented skateboarders by helping them in their equipment and other needs. “ Sayang ang talent eh. Kung may malaking pera lang ako susuportahan ko lahat, bakit hindi (Their talents could go to waste. If I only had much money I’d support all, why not)”, said Nonato.
Aiming to put up an all-Filipino skateboard company, the 33-year old skater had just recently opened a hobby store last year. Located in Nonato’s own house in Pasig City, the ‘Jackass Project Skate Shop’ is his brainchild. They sell decks, trucks, wheels, stickers and all other skateboarding needs. Aside from offering equipment and apparels, they also specialize in customization services.
“Underground talaga ako, hindi ako commercialized kagaya ng mga nakikita nyo sa mga malls (I am in the underground, unlike the commercialized ones you see in the malls)”, he said when asked about the Jackass Project Skate Shop. By saying ‘underground’, it means it is owned by someone not affiliated with nor sponsored by any big name brands. Solely managed by Nonato himself, he has direct suppliers on all the items he sells. “Hindi ako bumibili sa mga tao-tao, hindi ako nag-ba-buy-and-sell (I don’t buy from people, I don’t do buy-and-sell)”, he added.
Aside from doing small-scale business, the Hampaslupa Skateboarding/Jackass Project Skate Shop also organizes local skate events around their neighborhood. “Organizer din ako, kaso pang-underground lang din (I am also an organizer actually, but I only move in the underground scene)”, Nonato said.
Their latest gimmick was the ‘Tubo King: A Rail Challenge Competition’ held last July 31 at the Ortigas Flyover in Pasig City. Usually the team exerts their own efforts in holding such events, because sponsors are hard to come by. “Minsan may sponsor, minsan wala. Pag ganun, eh di ako lang (Sometimes there are sponsors, sometimes there are none. If there’s none, I’d do it myself)”, Nonato said.
Now also a family man and a house-husband, the 33-year old skater stated that he only plays his skateboard during his free time. He added that being a skateboarder shouldn’t make one unproductive and unemployed, because there are responsibilities and obligations to think about. “Hindi umiikot ang buhay sa pag-iiskate. Hindi dapat na paggising mo sa umaga skateboard na agad nasa isip mo (Life doesn’t revolve on skating. Skateboard shouldn’t be the first thing in your mind when you wake up in the morning)”, Nonato added.
The Hampaslupa Skateboarding maintains a fan page in the famous social networking site Facebook. The Jackass Project Skate Shop, on the other hand, has an online shop in Multiply.
