Forum-Dimensions

| 𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗟𝗘𝗦𝗦: 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

The Philippines has long held traditional beliefs about what certain genders should and should not do.

With boys being told to stick to basketball or other physically-inclined disciplines and girls being encouraged to go into sports that emphasize grace, many Filipino youths have unknowingly wasted their talents trying to conform to these societal standards.

Over time, these ideas have shaped not only how we see ourselves, but also the opportunities we believe are meant for us.

For many athletes, these beliefs become invisible boundaries. They are told which sports suit them, questioned when they choose differently, and judged before their talent is ever given the chance to speak.

Now more than ever, these norms deserve to be challenged—not to erase our differences, but to make room for individual expression over societal conformity.

From the ongoing and increasing prevalence of female athletes in male-predominated sports and male athletes in more artistic events, to LGBTQ+ athletes finding their places across different disciplines, sports as we know it is slowly being redefined.

More Filipinos are beginning to realize that talent, passion, and perseverance have never belonged to one gender.

As we commemorate the recently passed Pride Month, the millions of diverse athletes that shape the sports that we love remind us that it is the athlete, not their gender nor s*xual identity, that defines their own success.

Here is how sports evolved from reinforcing gender expectations into a platform for breaking stereotypes, celebrating individuality, and expanding what Filipinos believe is possible.

Story by Lawrence Christian Montiague
Design and layout by Genesis Jeziah Saldevia

: Question tradition
By John Michael Baldove | Burgo

Every institution has traditions. Time gives them legitimacy, repetition gives them authority, and eventually, challenging them can feel almost unthinkable. That is when they become dangerous—not because they are wrong, but because they have become untouchable.

Traditions are often meant to foster discipline, unity, and a sense of belonging within institutions. Whether through team-building activities, initiation rites, or rituals, they are passed down from one generation to the next and accepted without question, because to question them is to challenge the very culture they are meant to preserve.

The dangers of blind obedience to these traditions become visible in institutions where loyalty, discipline, and collective identity are highly valued. In the Philippines, for example, basketball occupies a significant place in society, making it easier for long-standing practices to be accepted simply because they have always been part of the system.

On June 8, two Ateneo Blue Eagles men’s basketball players, 18-year-old rookie Rene Clert Baterbonia and 21-year-old sophomore Chukwuemeka Divine Adili, died in a drowning incident during a “team-building” activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.

Initial police reports state they were caught by strong waves and a rip current during a shoreline conditioning exercise, while two other teammates were rescued.

A week after the tragedy, questions of accountability, safety protocols, and decision-making remain unresolved. Ateneo has launched an internal investigation, while the Department of Justice has directed the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a probe.

Former university men’s basketball team head coach Tab Baldwin and team manager Epok Quimpo resigned from their posts on June 15. Meanwhile, Baldwin’s ex-wife and stepdaughter have publicly claimed that they previously warned Ateneo that minors were “not safe” around him. The university has yet to publicly respond to those specific allegations.

Several former Ateneo players and analysts, including Quinito Hanson, have described the program’s off-site camps as rigorous “survival training camp.” Police also reported that the team had held similar team-building activities before, prompting them to continue their usual routines.

While many details remain subject to verification, the incident has prompted a broader conversation about the event of risk that organizations demand from the people entrusted to them.

Baterbonia had been on campus for only four days before the tragedy, while Adili had only just completed his rookie season. The same institution entrusted with nurturing their future is now left to mourn them instead.

Too often, practices survive not because they are necessary, effective, or safe, but because they have been repeated for so long that questioning them is treated as an act of defiance. In such environments, obedience can gradually become a virtue in itself. People learn to trust the system, defer to authority, and follow established practices without fully examining whether those practices still serve their intended purpose.

This pattern extends far beyond sports. It can be seen in workplaces that glorify exhaustion as dedication, in schools that discourage dissent in the name of discipline, and in policy debates where calls for stricter structures are often framed as solutions to complex problems.

And that is why survival should never be mistaken for legitimacy. A tradition’s age does not automatically justify its existence. Every practice, no matter how deeply embedded, should remain open to scrutiny.

Institutions evolve to meet changing times. Their cultures should evolve as well. Strength should not be measured by how faithfully old practices are preserved, but by how willingly they are abandoned when people’s welfare is at stake.

Baterbonia and Adili should be remembered for the lives and careers they were only beginning to build. Their deaths demand more than grief. They demand reflection, accountability, and the courage to challenge long-standing assumptions about what people should be expected to endure in the name of team, tradition, and victory.

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Editor's note: The opinions or views expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the Publication and the University.