Sport is beyond entertainment and competition. It even goes beyond being a lifestyle or a way of life. It is the representation of the human spirit. It is human development.

This is the core of the on-going efforts of the Philippine men’s national football team manager Dan Palami, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to rehabilitate Palami’s hometown Tacloban, which was virtually flattened by Supertyphoon Haiyan last November 8.

In the video The Football Wonder of Tacloban produced by UNDP and launched Thursday in Makati, Palami, the Azkals, and UNDP go beyond charity to help in the rehabilitation efforts of Tacloban. The video shows a glimpse of the power of sport–football in particular–in post disaster rehabilitation.

Essentially, while sport is not the most thought-of way in disaster response, it has played its role for psychosocial support for disaster survivors, particularly children and the youth. By promoting the virtues of sport, that is, cooperation, determination, and a strong heart, the interior disaster in the psyche of the Waray youth are gradually being rehabilitated.

In this time of disaster, poverty, and the attendant sense of hopelessness, now is the opportune time to prioritize Philippine sport as a venue in restoring human dignity. The effort of the Azkals and UNDP, despite the absence of government support, is indeed most welcome. For beyond the score, standing, competition lies the desire of every athlete to see man become human again.

Watch The Football Wonder of Tacloban below