By MARK REY MONTEJO
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Continuing to honor its commitment of helping to improve the country’s grassroots programs, Milo Philippines officially launched the 2025 Active Pilipinas here at Mandaue Central City School on Saturday, Feb. 1.
Rio Olympian marathoner Mary Joy Tabal and SEA Games taekwondo champion Jamie Lim graced the affair and held clinics in their respective to the delight of participants who braved the heat in hopes of learning a lesson to become star athletes someday.
In partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Milo’s new initiative aims to amplify the scope of its numerous programs, making it accessible for sports aspirants in the Visayas and Mindanao regions, doing extra mile to champion the importance of sports for the children.
“Every year we want to level up and make it better. So it’s an initiative that is energized by our enduring partnership with DepEd, PSC, and POC. This collaboration amplifies the shared commitment in making sports accessible and inclusive for all Filipino children,” said Milo PH SVP Veronica Cruz.
“We firmly believe that every child deserves the chance to be a champion and the chance to learn the values, regardless of their background, abilities, or circumstances… onto the next 60 [years], let’s continue building the champions,” she added.
Bringing energy and grit in the event are hundreds of youngsters – from different schools in Cebu – who are longing to be the next big thing in Philippine sports in the likes of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, pole vaulter EJ Obiena and gymnast Carlos Yulo.
With the help of the country’s two biggest sports agencies and DepEd, Milo guns five million participants — mostly kids including their parents – to join the healthy lifestyle campaign and promote the sports at their very young age.
“We’re really grateful that we are part of discovering, not just the [current] talents, but also the next generation talents,” said Milo Philippines Sports head Carlo Sampan.
“So, a lot of them started with Milo sports clinics, and in precisely Mindanao, we’re having more branches, more sports clinic partners for teaching fundamentals of sports and masimulan na rin, because we all believe that sports is a great teacher,” he continued.
PSC Commissioner Edward Hayco was also present in the press conference alongside with Lim, POC marketing head Nikko Huelgas, DepEd’s Angelo Mantaring, and Palarong Pambansa officer Marivic Tolitol.
