EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is based on interviews conducted in 2024. Some contextual references reflect the circumstances at the time the interviews were conducted.
Some people view physical disabilities as an obstacle to potential. But in the Philippine sports industry, Persons with disabilities (PWDs) consistently challenge prevailing assumptions and redefine what can be achieved.
Among them are dragon boat para-athletes Daisy Jane Omega and Brylle Samgel Arombo, who embody the determination to push beyond physical limitations and seek new experiences. Paddling for the Philippine Accessible Disability Service (PADS) Dragon Boat Team, Omega and Arombo have built successful careers in dragon boating, securing multiple local and international accolades. For these athletes, success is not a victory over their disabilities, but a reflection of how they have prospered alongside them.
Sharing the scars
Long before finding her footing in sports, Omega endured prejudice. Born with uneven leg lengths that required crutches, she had to navigate a life where she became a frequent target of childhood bullying.
“Sinabi sa akin na huwag [akong] maglaro kasi ang pangit ko raw tingnan,” Omega recounted, recalling a painful remark made to her during a volleyball game. “After no’n, nahiya na akong [sumali] na maglaro kasi natatak na sa isip ko na ang pangit ko pala tingnan.”
(I was told not to play because I looked ugly. After that, I was too shy to play anymore because it stuck with me that I apparently looked ugly.)
Arombo, on the other hand, had his life upended in May 2016 following a severe vehicular crash that resulted in the amputation of his right leg. This sudden change left him feeling adrift and disconnected. “You keep on smiling in front of your family, but deep inside your soul has been crushed,” he describes.
Beyond his internal struggle and need to maintain a facade, he also recalls how his family often dismissed his pain. “Your heart, your drive to live, has been lost because of the tragedy that happened to you…You cannot say it to your parents because they’ll keep on saying, ‘Okay lang ‘yan.’ They don’t understand it because they’re not in your shoes.”
(It’s okay.)
Despite these struggles, it was ultimately sports that gave Omega and Arombo the lifeline they needed to reclaim their identities and propel themselves beyond their darkest days.
Seeing the potential
Reflecting on her initial training with the PADS Dragon Boat Team, Omega muses, “Kaya pala.” As the first PWD athlete to join a dragon boat crew in Cebu, her participation led to a broader recruitment effort by her manager, establishing the first cross-disability team for both local and international competitions.
(It is possible.)
Meanwhile, Arombo turned to sports to rebuild his confidence and adapt to a new chapter of his life. Raised in a family of athletes, he explains that his father introduced him to basketball, which ultimately led to his personal transformation and commitment to dragon boating. “I’ve been open to a lot of sports, which I thought I could not do anymore because I lost my leg, [but] then I saw how it [could] change a person. I would change because of [dragon boating].”
Omega shares a similar sentiment about the impact of sports on her life: “Minsan naiisip ko if wala akong sport, feeling ko hindi ganun ka–fulfilling ‘yung life ko.” She believes that it’s not only the act of competing and winning that makes it fulfilling, but the “discipline, camaraderie, and how you handle yourself.”
(Sometimes I think that if I did not have a sport, I feel like my life would not be as fulfilling.)
For both athletes, their newfound motivation drove them to successful careers in dragon boating. Arombo recalls the PADS Dragon Boat Team making headlines after winning gold back in 2017, opening opportunities to more competitions, even against non-PWD teams. “We keep on winning with the abled people. We keep on beating them. Imagine that,” he proudly exclaims.
Beyond their achievements in dragon boating, Omega and Arombo have also represented Filipino para-athletes on the international stage, serving as volunteers during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Despite their breakthrough, the duo did not receive adequate support from the Philippine government, leaving them to shoulder much of the financial burden for some competitions. Omega notes that this is a common problem for athletes and para-athletes. “The government is not very supportive when it comes to sports,” she notes in Filipino.
Arombo recalls requesting government support before their first major race, only to see officials ride along their victories despite not providing any assistance. Nevertheless, their struggles and victories did not deter them from their craft. “We did not brag about it. We just let our hard work do the talking. We kept on training,” exclaims Arombo.
Inspiring others
With her experience, Omega encourages PWDs to find a sport suited to their condition and to not let their disabilities “stop” them from pursuing their passion. She also recommended seeking inclusive sports groups for PWDs to foster an environment of achievement.
Reflecting on his journey, Arombo speaks about regaining his sense of direction after hardship: “If your world crumbles around you, you just need to pick up the pieces again and make a new one out of it.”
Guided by an adaptive mindset, their stories have shown that sports can blossom into inclusive arenas where para-athletes are recognized for their skill, determination, and drive. By rising above their struggles, they continue to serve as role models for the athletic community, demonstrating that competitions are as much a test of mental fortitude as physical prowess.
“Kung hindi ka magsasagwan, hindi ka makakapunta sa gusto mong patutunguhan,” Arombo asserts.
(If you do not row, you won’t reach your destination.)