TAIPEI?Traveling on a shoe-string budget, they flew out of the Philippines without the usual fanfare and fancy send-off accorded to their more popular Filipino counterparts.

But the six Filipino deaf athletes rose above dismal circumstances to play for the country for the first time in the 21st Summer Deaflympics here, the first ever to be held in Asia.

Amid glittering fireworks and bright lights of the Taipei Stadium at the opening ceremonies of the Deaflympics here last week, the modest nine-member Philippine team marched proudly, carrying the national flag along with bigger teams from 90 countries.

Though most of them felt dwarfed by other participating nations that had delegates by the hundreds, the team?s captain, Maria Lovella Catalan, said they were, nevertheless, inspired to represent the Philippines in such a celebrated event despite little support from the government back home.

?I felt super great [during the parade],? said Catalan in a pen-and-paper interview with a handful of visiting reporters here.

?It was a great honor for me to carry the flag during the parade. I am so proud to represent our country in this prestigious competition,? said Ariscel Lobo, who is profoundly deaf on both ears.

However, Lobo can lip-read and talk just like any regular athlete.

First Deaflympics

Held every four years, the Deaflympics were first organized in Paris, France with 145 participating athletes from nine European countries.

Sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee, the Deaflympics have 20 sports events which include athletics, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, football, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, water polo, wrestling, karate, judo and taekwondo.

The 20th Deaflympics were held in Melbourne, Australia in 2005 with more than 3,000 deaf athletes from 67 nations.

For this Deaflympics, aside from Catalan and Lobo, Jorelle Faytaren, Cecilia Villacin, Paul Pacis and Christopher Uy competed in four bowling events until Friday night. The other Philippine delegates are Richard Jay Sunico, the team?s coach, Carolyn Dagani and Sansan Ong.

Tendon injury

Catalan was faring well in the games, ranking 15th until Friday?s bowling event when she suffered a tendon injury, which pushed her down to 19th or 20th place, she said in a text message to the Inquirer.

Had the team ranked in the Top 16, they would have played in the finals today and on Monday, said Catalan, also the president of the nonprofit organization Phil-Sports Federation of the Deaf (PSDF).

The PSDF is a recognized member of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf and the Asia-Pacific Deaf Sports Confederation.

The Philippine team is expected to fly back to the Philippines on September 16, a day after the closing ceremonies of the Deaflympics.

Role model

In an interview last week, Villacin, 44, said they would try their best to bring home a medal despite being vastly outnumbered by delegates from other competing countries.

She would draw inspiration from her fellow deaf Filipinos frequently overlooked by society back home.

?I want to serve as a role model for deaf Filipinos. [I want to show them that] we can be happy and that we can succeed in sports,? Villacin told the Inquirer by writing on a piece of paper.

Unlike Catalan, who has reaped medals in various Asian bowling championships, Villacin admitted she is a first-timer in the playing field. She has been bowling ?for fun? for more than 20 years now.

Catalan won a gold medal in the Asia-Pacific Deaf Bowling Championship in Jeju City, Korea two years ago. Lobo also joined the competition but did not win. But it was in that event he and Catalan got an invitation to participate in the Deaflympics.

Not a walk in the park

Joining the Deaflympics has not been a walk in the park.

While the Philippine Sports Commission provided them with uniforms, the Philippine team had to knock on doors of family, friends and some politicians to get funding for sports gear and meals for their 12-day stay here, according to Catalan.

They were able to pool at least P100,000; their target was P300,000. ?But the budget for food was not enough so we also paid for our own,? she said.

The Philippine Airlines sponsored their airfare, while their accommodations in a small hotel in downtown Taipei were shouldered by the Taiwanese government, she added.

Lack of awareness

Unlike their counterparts from First World countries who enjoyed a goodnight?s sleep at five-star hotels and dined in buffet restaurants, the Filipino team made do by eating at nearby fast-food chains and inexpensive restaurants.

When asked why they received little support from the government, Catalan shrugged her shoulders while Villacin attributed it to the public?s lack of awareness about deaf athletes in the country.

?If people were more aware of [deaf athletes], there would be more support and understanding for us. But, of course, it?s hard but I hope God touches their hearts and help us,? wrote Villacin.

Lobo said this was the reason he joined the Deaflympics. ?So that our kababayan (countrymen) will discover the uniqueness of the deaf in the field of sports. They should also support us just like hearing athletes.?