OVER 100 students and more than 40 coaches from 20 municipalities in Iloilo participated in a two-day football clinic conducted by Tottenham Hotspur Football Club coaches under the AIA Healthiest Schools (AHS) program of AIA Philippines at Guimbal National High School.
The football clinic, held in partnership with AIA Group’s long-standing Global Principal Partner, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, combined football skills training, teacher workshops, and wellness lessons focusing on nutrition and healthy habits. The event followed the success of AIA’s first AHS football clinic in Baguio.
Leading the sessions were Tottenham Hotspur Football Club’s Head of International Development for Asia-Pacific (APAC) Shannon Moloney and International Development Coach Lily Jervis, together with Iloilo-based Philippine Football Federation (PFF) coaches.
“It brings me a lot of joy to share the love for football with such an engaged and passionate community of people in Iloilo,” said Moloney, a former midfielder for the Tottenham Hotspur Women’s team. “Each AHS football clinic is something I genuinely look forward to—seeing students and coaches enthusiastically engage in our activities, and having the opportunity to share my expertise to help reshape their views on education, football, and healthy living is incredibly rewarding.”
“Iloilo brought such energy to our football training sessions, and I hope this experience helps the kids’ love for football grow,” said Jervis, who previously played for Northern Regional Football in the National Women’s League in New Zealand.
AIA Healthiest Schools is a pioneering program developed by AIA Group to improve health literacy among students aged 5 to 16 by promoting healthy eating, regular physical activity, mental well-being, and environmental sustainability. The initiative offers schools free curriculum-linked resources anchored on these four pillars of well-being.
“AIA Healthiest Schools is our flagship health literacy program that empowers young people and communities to take charge of their health,” said Melissa Henson, Chief Marketing Officer of AIA Philippines. “In the Philippines, one of the ways we bring this to life is through football, making learning more engaging, culturally relevant, and fun. Sports unite communities, build discipline, teamwork, and resilience, all aligned with our purpose of helping people live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives.”
Since its launch in the Philippines in August 2024, AHS has reached over 7,200 students and trained 139 teachers across five regions in the country. The program is implemented in partnership with the Corazon S. Atayde Memorial Foundation, which promotes reading, learning, and financial literacy among underserved communities.
AHS lessons and educational content are also available through The Knowledge Channel and its digital platforms nationwide under the “Gen H: Generation Healthy” educational program, which airs every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 12:20 p.m.
AIA Philippines said it plans to expand the AHS program to reach more students nationwide, continuing its advocacy of helping future generations live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives. (Leo Solinap/SunStar Philippines)