Badmintoning in Ormoc

If there's one thing that makes the sport, badminton a winner, it's its establishment among Ormocanons as a hobby. Every new trend that succeeds in permeating this sleepy town's consciousness has first to see itself through a phase to determine if this sleepy town's inhabitants would want to integrate it in their lifestyle, or simply to dip their toes for a test in its curiously interesting waters. Badminton has long passed this phase and thus, is no longer a trend. Given the Ormocanons' notorious brand as a fickle bunch, that's an accomplishment. Rarely does any trend make it through halfway.

Case in point: the bike shop tito Rex, a biking enthusiast, set up. I think it continues to draw people, but it wasn't it used to be at the peak of the biking craze that hit mostly married men in their 30s and 40s in 2007 & 2008. Even my sister got into it with tio Perok and tita Rina. Group sessions and fun races were scheduled almost every week, to Isabel or to Lake Danao or to where-have-you. During that time, it was regular to see a couple of them hunched on their bikes taking the Ormoc streets on. In the middle of last year, my sister has to quit biking when she moved to Manila for a 6-month course in Fashion Design. Fast forward to the last few months: Tio Perok has no more mention of a bike-a-thon to anywhere. It was cool while it lasted though.

Biking of course is not a lone case. According to cousin Monic, even dancing apparently was just a trend among the Ormocanons. She is one of the trio that owns Ormoc's only happening bar, Dustriya. People who used to hit the dancefloors are either tired of dancing, have gotten married and pregnant and too heavy to do the basic sway, or are convinced they have two left feet and cannot do a decent dance even if it would save their lives (these are not Monic's observations, but my wild guesses :). Of course, it all boils down to that it has ceased to be cool. Her trio, she mentioned, is even considering of turning it to an extension to their more successful venture, the dining haunt, Pardy's.

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So lately (like months ago, with a lot of absences in between), my sister Maica and I got into badminton with friends Ate Vans and tita Baday and cousin Mady. The only place to be seen playing badminton at is Badminton City in Baranggay Linao. I say this with no bias (the owner is my cousin's boyfriend -- now ex -- and a very nice guy at that); Badminton City is the only place in Ormoc that has genuine Taraflex courts. Frankly, I don't know what that is and can't even feel the difference in playing on concrete, but that's what the pros say (so i agree). Even the owner of the only other place that has a badminton court (IS) plays at Badminton City.

Our group-imposed schedule that we successfully followed only once in our entire badminton career (that's only 3 months in the going if you want to be exact) is on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Beginners will be comfortable on Thursdays and Saturdays because the pros don't play these days and generally, these are not badminton days for many. The pros, if I have to define them in Badminton City context, are those who can block a smash, who move in a graceful, speedy gait, who don't notify the entire place of their scores after every update, who you don't want to play next to. So there.

Charge: P160/hour (I need to double check if they still offer the P25/head all-you-can-play on Sundays)
Best time to play: 4-6 pm (especially on Tuesdays, before everybody arrives -- don't ask me about the other days)

Other comforts:
There are comfort rooms and shower rooms to shower and change in.
There's a cafeteria and a Japanese Restaurant (the only one that survived in the city, therefore the best).
There's a small shop where you can buy anything that you will need for play if you left all your equipment at home: fast-dry shirts, shorts, gummy-soled shoes, rockets, shuttlecocks, etc etc. There are pingpong tables.
There are computer games (for the kids).


Badminton City has 8 courts with Taraflex floors. Frankly, I don't know what that is and can't even feel the difference in playing on concrete, but that's what the pros say (so i agree).


Air-conditioned lounging area.
The mini shop where you can buy anything for play if you left your equipment at home (and too lazy to pick it up).
Yummy Japanese! Must-orders (pardon, the Japanese names escape me): tempura (with bread crumbs), chicken teriyaki, salad (with the mangoes, crab meat), California Maki.

A coffee shop will soon open beside this restaurant. Coffee after badminton?

My playmates: Ate Vans, Micachoo, and Mady (plus Bien, my willing model)