The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has recently launched a program to promote Filipino women’s physical and mental wellbeing dubbed the “Zumbarangay Pilipinas” or Solo Exercise On Cam Challenge.

PSC commissioner Celia Kiram, in charge of the agency’s Women in Sports programs, has spearheaded the national awareness campaign through this online competition amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The PSC believes the current COVID-19 pandemic is now impacting women’s mental and physical health and global studies find women and girls gained weight during the lockdown and research further shows even short term physical inactivity has long-lasting repercussions,” said Kiram.

“For this, we at the PSC mounted a campaign to encourage women and girls to rise up and shape up by way of solo exercising through dancing,” she added.

The contest is open to all Filipinas who can come up with a dance workout for two minutes minimum. What makes it more interesting is that it has different categories—women frontliners, women open category, girls open, and LGBT--with the winner per class receiving P30,000 and second to third places P20,000 and P10,000, respectively. A total of 10 special prizes worth P3,000 each will also be given away.

“It is believed that the need to infuse fun in exercising is highly critical to ward off the brewing anxieties, and for some, the state of depression,” said Kiram.

“But all in all, we just want to encourage Filipino women and girls to maintain an active lifestyle and boost health by regularly exercising even at home any time.”

For inquiries or more details, interested participants may visit the event’s Facebook page, just search for Rise Up and Shape Up.