MANILA -- The Siklab Atletea Pilipinas Sports Foundation, a project aimed to gather support from the private sector to fund the athletes who have potential to bring home the first-ever Olympic gold for the country in the Tokyo 2020.
Phoenix Fuel Corporation and Presidential Adviser on Sports, Dennis Uy, is the man behind Siklab Atleta, cited the natural and admirable talents of Filipino athletes on the global stage. He said that “the road towards bringing home the first Olympic gold is not easy, but with the support of everybody, we may have chance.”
2019 Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee Chairman and Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano was also in attendance. “We may disagree, we may argue but for as long as we are united in the goal of helping our athletes, then we are good,” Cayetano said.
He also touched on the subject of taking care of athletes who have passed their prime and are in very sad situations in life. “Yes the country will “use” you, but it is our commitment to you that we will never forget you. We will take care of you.”
So far, 16 corporate sponsors namely SM investments Corp., Belle Corporation, RFM Corporation, Alaska Milk Corp., Tanduay Distillery, JG Summit Holdings, Inc., Megawide Construction Corp., International Container Terminal Services, Inc., San Miguel Corporation, PLDT, Unilab, Ulticon Builders Inc., Phoenix Petroleum, 2Go, Megaworld Corporation, Robinsons Land Corporation and Philippine International Air Terminal Corp., have pledged their support.
Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Butch Ramirez thanked the private sector “whose partnership is important to help our athletes succeed.”
Philippine Olympic Committee President Ricky Vargas echoed Ramirez on his message of unity saying, “It takes a whole community to support an athlete.” He also said that all sports stakeholders must unite to find the best athletes to represent the country.
The foundation has 30 athlete-recipients so far.
Only fourteen of them, led by Rio Olympics Silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, were in attendance as the others are training overseas or participating in competitions. (PR)