AND BINGO WAS THE GAME-O

"You Know You’re Pinoy When…” – A Bingo Game for Filipinos

An editorial recently published on Rappler has put things into perspective for many Filipinos staying overseas, resonating with everyone who’s ever had to struggle with the feeling of being away from home and away from loved ones, and with anyone who’s ever found comfort in finding a kinsman in a sea of foreign faces. The article just serves to remind us that there are many things that are inherently Filipino, which we won’t ever get over, despite how “comfortable” life is away from home.

In light of this, I'd like to share with you a bingo game that you could play with fellow Filipinos overseas, celebrating all the things that make us Filipino. As a game, bingo isn’t quite as popular as say, tong its or pusoy dos, but many still flock to the bingo halls in local malls like SM, enjoying a casual game or two. It’s a rather interesting game, and while bingo hasn’t caught on in the Philippines, elsewhere it’s become so large a phenomenon that bingo operators have come up with strange campaigns to draw more people into playing it. Super Official News also reported that a land-based bingo hall in the UK that has since branched out into offering their gaming services online, Gala Bingo, even scored a world record for “The Biggest Bingo Balls Ever Used in a Bingo Game”. How crazy is that?! I didn't believe it until I saw the video below.

   

Fortunately, you won’t even need any bingo balls for a game of “You Know You’re Pinoy When…” Bingo. All you need is a group of Filipino friends who can come up with a list of things that they think make them uniquely Filipino. If you’re looking for a resource, there are plenty online – most of them made by jest – such as the one on RT Cunningham, which is called “You’re Either a Filipino or Married to One if…” It’s best if you make your own list, though, and then use a bingo card creator to generate a set of bingo cards with the items in your list in the boxes, as well as a call list. To play, simply have someone draw from the call list and read the description out loud, and the players then mark off the item on their cards, swapping stories and experiences whenever appropriate, and maybe even taking the occasional shot. This is a great game to play on days when you’re missing home, and when you’re feeling a little nostalgic. It’s also a fun way to honor your Filipino-ness and connect with others in the community. Give it a shot, and let me know what you think!

*CONTRIBUTED POST*