From food trips to creating a skateboarding community for women

MANILA, Philippines –  “Hey girls, you know, we can skate too.” 

That was the message a collective of Filipino women were sharing as they cruised down the streets of Emerald Avenue, Pasig City, on Sunday, March 22.

In collaboration between the female-founded FT Crew and Sunday Skate Club, the event showcased more than just a Women’s Month celebration, but also a live demonstration of a growing community of women skaters. 

Building a safe space

Traditional skateparks are often male-dominated, making them intimidating places for female beginners. To counter this, FT Crew hosted free skate clinics for first-timers and those wanting to learn something new.

“We wanted to create a safe space for women to learn,” explained FT Crew founder Dane Quiambao.

“You can be a beginner or a pro, it doesn’t matter. Whoever you are, you can skate with us. Let’s eat, let’s skate, let’s share stories.”

That spirit of sharing is literal; members brought a range of extra skateboards for newcomers to borrow and practice on. As the women skated down the street, every small progression was met with cheers and encouragement.

The community’s roots are as humble as they are unique. Founded in Clark, Pampanga in 2024, the group began with Quiambao and four of her female friends who were originally set to skate together at Clark Global City and eat potluck afterwards.e

“FT stands for Food Trip,” Quiambao said. “We’d eat more than we skate.”

What started as a shared journey on Instagram soon caught the attention of fellow women around the country searching for camaraderie. 

From running clinics in Clark to collaborating with international group GRL SWRL in Siargao, the “Food Trip” has evolved into a support network. In Manila, chapter leader Pola Rein Duyo, who once skated only with boys, now leads a group where women support each other’s growth.

“There are those who want to learn but are too shy to try,” Duyo said. “But they see our community and are inspired.”

Reclaiming identity and space

For the women of Metro Manila, an urban space with more than 15 million people where it is easy to feel isolated, the weekend meet-ups on Emerald Avenue provide an anchor of support.

This community is particularly vital for mothers like Quiambao and Lee Ann Drew Ramos. 

For Quiambao, skating helped her find her individual identity again, outside of being a mother. Ramos, who skates while her daughter plays nearby, said that the experience has been “life-changing,” providing a sense of mental growth and the feeling that she “could do anything.”

As the mission spreads, the crew is now receiving requests to build chapters across the country. However, the growth of the community has highlighted a critical need for infrastructure.

“Right now, skateboarding here in Manila is not quite accessible,” Duyo noted. The group hopes that by building this visible community, local governments will notice the need for more flat, obstacle-free spaces and skate parks where pros can advance.

Creating safe spaces for women to skate is FT Crew’s mission. By building this community, they are showing the public and government that the skate scene is valued.

“We just want to inspire people that it’s never too late to skate. And it’s okay to skate whatever level you have. It doesn’t matter if you want to learn a lot of tricks or just cruise around or carve,” Quiambao said.

“That’s what it’s all about for us. Connecting with girls from all around.” — Rappler.com

Samantha Mythen is a Rappler Intern from Aotearoa, New Zealand. She has worked as a reporter in Kiwi newsrooms for several years, alongside growing her storytelling career through freelancing while travelling and living overseas. She is passionate about covering Asia-Pacific and the issues that connect this diverse region.