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Filipino paddlers in barong, Filipiniana showcase bayanihan spirit in HK

Article (news)

Karen Flores

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1783677444428ASC00980.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Members of Alliance of Masters wear Filipino formal attire during the Fancy Dress competition of the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Festival. Photo courtesy of the Hong Kong Tourism Board"/>Members of Alliance of Masters wear Filipino formal attire during the Fancy Dress competition of the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Festival. Photo courtesy of the Hong Kong Tourism Board</div>It was a rainy afternoon in Hong Kong&#x27;s Tsim Sha Tsui promenade on June 28, 2026. Despite the gloomy weather, a group of Filipino paddlers remained in high spirits as they prepared to take to the waters for the Fancy Dress competition of the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Festival.The historic 50th edition of the event marked the international debut of Alliance of Masters (AOM), a relatively new Manila-based dragon boat club. Naturally, they wanted to make a lasting impression — the Fancy Dress competition is one of the annual festival&#x27;s most anticipated segments, with teams around the world trading their standard jerseys for vibrant costumes.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1783677909588DSC06748_260628_115744.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>The 18 teams in this year&#x27;s Fancy Dress competition. Photo courtesy of HKTB But instead of taking the wacky route to go viral online (some of this year&#x27;s memorable costumes include Baywatch babes and mahjong tiles, which were genuinely fun to watch), AOM opted for something more straightforward: Barong Tagalog for men, and Filipiniana blouses for women.</div>It was a unanimous decision among the team members, who wanted to showcase not just traditional attire but also the Filipino spirit of bayanihan. Derived from the word bayan which means town or nation, this cultural value is about having a strong sense of community, famously visualized in art as villagers carrying a bahay kubo (nipa hut) on their shoulders.AOM delivered a similar scene during the Fancy Dress competition: Clad in formal wear, the Filipino paddlers sat in their dragon boat and powered through the rain as they paraded across Victoria Harbour, drawing loud cheers from the crowd. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1783677693008ASC00793.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>AOM members paddle together in Barong Tagalog and Filipiniana. Photo courtesy of HKTB</div>&quot;It&#x27;s our way of showing that this is us as Filipinos... This is the right stage to show who we truly are,&quot; said AOM team captain Azaak Diancin. &quot;It&#x27;s also our way of showing that we are strong, that that we can go head-to-head with other countries.&quot;Even in assembling their costumes, AOM embodied the bayanihan spirit. Diancin shared that their fellow paddlers who stayed behind in Manila helped paint the team&#x27;s matching straw hats and buy outfits for other members in ukay-ukay (secondhand clothing stores).&quot;We have members from Visayas and Mindanao, medyo hirap po sila mag-access ng quality na Barong sa area nila (they had a hard time accessing quality Barong in their area),&quot; the young team captain shared.&quot;Tulong-tulong po kami for this race talaga (We really helped each other out for this race).&quot;<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178367810414820260628_104152.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Members of AOM pose for a photo before the Fancy Dress parade. Karen Flores Layno, ABS-CBN News </div>Aside from the Fancy Dress competition, AOM also took part in other races during the dragon boat festival, which was organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB). And while the medal was elusive, the team is nevertheless proud to have represented the Philippines the best way they could in their international debut. &quot;I started [dragon boat] at 10 years old. And now, I&#x27;m 19,&quot; said Diancin, who grew up with the dream of racing in Hong Kong one day. &quot;I&#x27;m amazed that finally, especially now at the 50th anniversary, nabigyan kami ng pagkakataon na makasali (we were given a chance to join).&quot; &quot;Since this is my first international race, it&#x27;s really exciting and masaya po &#x27;yung experience (it was a fun experience),&quot; he added.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178367808790920260628_112544.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>AOM&#x27;s team captain, Azaak Diancin. Karen Flores Layno, ABS-CBN News</div>Members of the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF), a regular invitee in the festival, shared the same sentiment. Its elite crew clinched the silver medal in the International Women&#x27;s Championship this year, and placed sixth in the Gold Cup.&quot;It&#x27;s a different pressure, pero sobrang saya (but it was so much fun),&quot; said Quinn Tifanny Barcarse, one of the members of the PDBF elite team. &quot;We worked with whatever the supporters and the federation can give us... Somehow, some way, we&#x27;re here. We made it. And we&#x27;re happy.&quot;For Bacarse, Hong Kong will always be a special place for their team, largely because of its Filipino community. &quot;More than winning the trophy [are the Filipinos here]. Every Filipino you meet, they say hi, they ask to take pictures,&quot; she shared.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178367831347120260627_101048.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Quinn Tifanny Barcarse (center) with her fellow PDBF members. Karen Flores Layno, ABS-CBN News</div>Outside of AOM and PDBF, there were Filipino paddlers who joined other teams in the 50th Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Festival. One is part of the Argo Naga crew from Malaysia, while Pinoys formed half of the Onslaught Racing Dragons of Qatar. More than an adrenaline-fueled spectacle, this year&#x27;s edition of the dragon boat festival became a place for Filipinos to gather and proudly show their heritage. For many Pinoys, Hong Kong remains a top travel destination for its proximity and <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/2/15/from-coastal-trails-to-forest-bathing-4-ways-to-enjoy-hong-kong-s-great-outdoors-1530">wide range of attractions</a> — and this event certainly adds to the city&#x27;s appeal.

The Filipino paddlers sat in their dragon boat and powered through the rain as they paraded across Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.

The Filipino paddlers sat in their dragon boat and powered through the rain as they paraded across Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.

Filipino paddlers in Barong, Filipiniana showcase bayanihan spirit in Hong Kong

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Filipino paddlers in Barong, Filipiniana showcase bayanihan spirit in Hong Kong

Karen Flores Layno,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 10, 2026 07:54 PM PHT

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Updated July 10, 2026 08:02 PM PHT

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