THE big guns in business set aside their corporate rivalry in the name of sports and donated a total of P46 million to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) to bankroll the country’s campaign in the 19th Asian Games in Jakarta in August and the 30th Southeast Asian Games the country is hosting next year.
San Miguel Corp. and MVP Sports Foundation (MVPSF) each gave a check worth P20 million, while the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) handed P6 million—with each of the 12 ball clubs chipping in P500,000—for the national athletes’ preparations for the two major international competitions.
POC President Ricky, sportsman and businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan’s most trusted ally, personally received the donations along with the top executives of the POC.
“I would like to thank the PBA for its contribution, and San Miguel Corp. and the MVPSF. These are all directed contributions toward athletes, toward NSAs [national sports associations] for the programs for Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games,” Vargas said.
Vargas bared that the money the POC received from San Miguel Corp. will go the NSAs that the food and beverage company will support.
“They will choose the NSAs and the program they will godfather and work with,” Vargas said.
The big chunk of the donation from the MVPSF will be granted as incentives for the medalists in international competitions, while the remaining money will be directed for the training of athletes.
The P6 million from the PBA, meanwhile, will be allocated mainly for the training and development of national teams for the Asian Games and the SEA Games.
The POC Board assured that the donations will be in good hands.
“The council will take a look how best we can spend with the consultation with the donors,” Vargas explained.
“The SEA Games is just a few months from now, and we should identify the NSAs that we will help,” he added.