Mak Feliciano of Skate Pilipinas showcasing his famous backside-tails-slide trick at Old Market skatepark. Jayson Rosos skateboarding community’s passion and resilience.
“We didn’t have stable jobs or funds at the time,” recalls Iko, one of the park’s original builders. “But we were stubborn and determined. We put in whatever we could from our pockets to build this place.” Gathering salvaged materials and scrounging up what they could, these skaters got to work. With no professional builders or funding, they relied on each other, turning the abandoned market into a skatepark piece by piece.
“We faced so many challenºges, but we fought for this place because it meant everything to us,” says Nacion. “We knew we were doing something bigger than ourselves.”What had once been a simple dream was now a bustling hub where skaters of all ages came to find camaraderie, challenge, and inspiration. The park became a true testament to the power of community—proof that with enough heart and grit, something meaningful can be built from the ground up.
The rise of Skate Pilipinas, the national sports association for skateboarding, and the international success of Filipino skaters like Mak Feliciano, Motic Panugalinog, and Fil-American talents such as Mazel Alegado—the youngest skater to compete in the Asian Games—Christiana Means, and Olympian Park skateboarder Kiko Francisco, all point to skateboarding’s bright future in the Philippines.
Now, as the park faces the need for repairs, the skater community calls for support to preserve this piece of history for future generations.