The Philippines has participated in chess tournaments for over 66 years now, as chess has been a long-time sport and skill that many Filipinos have grown to learn and love. However, over the past few years, the spotlight on chess has declined with many of the youth today preferring online games more than learning how to play chess.
This catapulted young 15-year-old Theodore Abara to establish Knights Build Organization (KBO), a non-profit organization that aims to help his fellow Filipino youth build their adaptability, logical thinking, and creativity through chess. “One of the reasons I founded Knights Build was to provide an alternative form of entertainment for the youth that actually helps them perform better in school, improve their logical thinking skills, and pattern recognition, and at the same time teaches them important life skills that can change their lives–creativity, patience, perseverance in solving problems and challenges,” he shares.
Abara was a scholar at Philippine Science High School prior to his being awarded the prestigious Vicky Sycip Herrera Scholarship at International School Manila where he is currently a Grade 10 student. In the past, he has represented the country and won several competitions as part of the Philippine Math team, among other achievements he has at a young age.
Aside from the late National Master Roland Perez who taught KBO children in 2020, the non-profit organization now has a world-class and highly-experienced KBO Program Head with Coach Sonny Labayne who taught the chess team at International School Manila for over 15 years. He is supported by a number of KBO volunteers who comprise young chess players in their teens or retired competitive chess players who are now focused on teaching chess.
To date, KBO has donated various chess sets, chess clocks, chess books, and magazines to the underprivileged communities such as Boystown Manila and soon in Cavite and Marikina before year-end. KBO commits to providing free chess education and training scholarships to at least a thousand underprivileged kids before the end of 2022. The organization works closely with local government units to implement their programs in certain communities across the metro.
KBO also runs its No Stress Chess program designed for chess players who want to learn the sport and just have fun without worrying about competing in chess tournaments. As a means to sustain the operations of KBO as well as help local farmers at the onset and height of the pandemic, the organization sells locally-produced organic coffee from Baguio, Mushrooms Chips from Bulacan, and Tablea from Davao. To support them and keep updated on their latest news, visit their Facebook and Instagram pages.
(From left) Manila Sports Council OIC Chairman Roel de Guzman, KBO Founder Theodore Abara, Manila Department of Social Welfare (MDSW) OIC Ma. Asuncion “Re” Fugoso, Manila Boystown Complex OIC, Ms. Digna Punay with KBO volunteers during the recent awarding ceremonies in Manila Boystown Complex
