Excelling in team sports in the highest stage has not been the Philippines' cup of tea.
Altough Filipinos love basketball, the country has not been considered superior in this sport. Even in volleyball, which is challenging basketball in terms of popularity in the local scene, the Philippines in not tagged as a powerhouse team. The country's football program, too, has stalled and is not likely to come along.
The Philippine men's teams currently rank 37th in basketball, 127th in volleyball and 147th in football. In women's side, the country ranks 40th in basketball, 55th in volleyball and 39th in football.
The best chance the Philippines has in claiming success in the international scene is probably in softball.
The Philippines is currently ranked 15th in the world both in men's and women's softball.
The Blu Boys placed 5th overall in the world championships in 1972 and 7th overall in 1992.
The Blu Girls, on the other hand, placed 3rd in the World Cup in 1970, 4th in 1974 and 5th in 1982.
The Blu Girls are now competing in the Canada Cup International Softball Championship in Surrey, British Columbia where the Cebuana Lhuillier-backed team has a 2-1 record after scoring wins against New Zealand and Hong Kong and losing to host Canada today.
The Blu Girls will finish their pool A assignments against Israel on Thursday and Mexico on Friday.
A few weeks ago, the Blu Boys showed their grit at the 18th WBSC Men's Softball WorldCup in Hermosillo, Mexico where they clashed with Australia, Czechia, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Venezuela in group A.
Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (Asaphil) president Jean Henri Lhuillier has been instrumental in the remarkable ascent of Philippine softball.
"I have high hopes for softball as it is a sport where I firmly believe that Filipinos have what it takes to be the world's best," said Lhuillier, who vowed to give his all-out support to the sport.
Last year was also considered a landmark year for Philippine softball as four Cebuana Lhuillier-backed national teams — the men's, women's, women's under-15 and co-ed slopitch teams — qualified for the World Cup.
The only sport that can match softball's upsurge in the international arena is baseball as the men's team is ranked 28th and women's team 13th in the world.
Lhuillier, meanwhile, believes that the relentless drive and exceptional talents of the Filipino softball players are setting new benchmarks that can lure the country's interest and support to softball once again.
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