A real energy boost

YOU can take it literally and figuratively, the 30th Southeast Asian Games which we are hosting later this year is getting a real energy boost from MILO as Nestle Philippines has come in as a gold sponsor for the games, announcing it in a well attended press conference at the Conrad Hotel with yours truly among the media people present.
And the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee or PHISGOC together with co-organizers the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) could not be happier with the development as House Speaker and PHISGOC Chairman Alan Peter Cayetano, who graced the occasion, cited the reduction of the budget for hosting the event.
He added that the 2019 SEA Games here goes beyond just organizing it as a regional sports meet but rather as an opportunity for the Philippines to present the Filipino brand to the whole world, not to mention the sports tourism revenues that the more than 9,000 foreign athletes and officials will bring in.
I really liked the theme for the event, “We Win As One” as it captures the essence of teamwork, which is what the pooling of efforts by the PHISGOC, PSC, POC and now MILO is the perfect example of the WE part, and Nestle AVP Lester Castillo, who followed his father’s footsteps with the company, on his part described the entry of MILO in the SEA Games as a perfect fit in what the brand is promoting as values in sport, values that can be learned in classrooms but not as well in actual participation in sports.
I know MILO has been a long time partner of sports in the Philippines, I really should because I have been writing on sports since 1977 with MILO Marathon as my regular beat among others in my early years in the sports beat. I also recognize and appreciate the continuous efforts and support by MILO for grassroots sports with its MILO Little Olympics, MILO Barangay Liga, MILO Sports Clinics and of course its annual marathon event which has grown by leaps and bounds since it started in the late ‘70s.
I was fortunate to sit with longtime friends Nick and Marly Jorge of the MILO BEST basketball and volleyball clinics. The basketball clinic actually is just a year younger than me at 41 and still going strong, with the Jorge couple taking pride in the fact that a lot of basketball superstars, past and present, had their roots in MILO BEST, something that MILO itself recognized and cited at the launching last Thursday.
In fact, present among the guests was Kiefer Ravena, who unfortunately is not on the SEA Games men’s basketball lineup. He was there as one of MILO’s ambassadors of sports together with girlfriend and volleyball superstar Alyssa Valdez, taekwondo jin Pauline Lopez and marathon champion Mary Joy Tabal who could not make it to the event but sent her message while both Valdez and Lopez appealed for crowd support during the games.
PSC Commissioner Mon Fernandez, representing PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez, who sat beside me before the formal program started, cited the same thing about crowd support and the effect of a hometown crowd cheering athletes on, again something that MILO will help work on, rallying local sports fans to support our national athletes in all the sports we are entered.
Among others, MILO will promote the event through athletes’ videos that will be shown on MILO Philippines’ official Facebook page and on Nestle Philippines’ official YouTube channel, and during the actual event, expect fans to be enjoying free MILO drinks as they cheer on their sports heroes.
Well, as Nestle Philippines Vice President Veronica Cruz puts it, her company’s role is to help energize the country to cheer on the athletes and let these athletes know that the whole country will be behind them.
My only problem is going to all the venues in Clark, Subic and Manila, assuming I get my media accreditation of course. And talking about Subic, I go there regularly to visit an office that I am helping a friend manage and twice already I suffered a flat tire, blown out in one occasion, and in both times the NLEX Patrol was there to assist me.
I would like to take this opportunity then to thank the following NLEX Patrol members earlier this week who helped me when I needed it along SCTEX, near Porac, they are Rafael Jaring, Ronnie Bustamante, Ruben Valerio, Geronimo Noceda and Jeffrey Torres. Thanks guys.