Allianz supports Aeta's quest to make OCR National Team pool

Allianz supports five Aeta youths from Villa Maria Integrated School in their quest to be part of the OCR national team pool. (L-R): Gellyann B. Soria; Ivy O. Pelayo; Ms. Gae Martinez, Chief Marketing Officer, Allianz PNB Life; Jacob D. King; Danilo B. Yugyug; and Miracle D. Lansang

Allianz Philippines reaffirmed their commitment for the quest of the Aetas to make the national team pool for Obstacle Course Racing.

17-year old Gellyann Soria, 16-year old Ivy Pelayo, 19-year old Danilo Yugyug, 21-year old Miracle Lansang, and 22-year old Jacob King took part in the 5K Elite Category of the Conquer Challenge portion of the Allianz OCR Sunday last March 31 inside Filinvest City in Alabang. The five, who all hail from the Villa Maria Integrated School in Porac, Pampanga, had taken part previously in the Dare to Conquer Challenge back in December and were specifically chosen to participate at Allianz OCR Sunday.

Yugyug in particular finished in the top 15 in the Men's Division after going through twenty obstacles without penalty.

Allianz Philippines Chief Marketing Officer Gae Martinez shares, "Allianz is supporting the quest of the five Aeta youth from Villa Maria in Pampanga to be part of the national team pool. We are not putting a timetable, but what’s important as of this point is they get the training they need. We are giving them a chance to excel in the sport and the life skills to discover new opportunities along the way." She adds, "Last December 2018, we brought 25 Aetas to join the Allianz Conquer Challenge in Clark. We were surprised at how the Aetas excelled as they went through each obstacle without prior training. But as our Aetas athletes explained, these obstacles are quite similar to what they go through in their daily lives."

Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation (POSF) President Atty. Al Agra shared that the Allianz OCR Sunday was the first of four National Team Qualifiers to determine the pool for which to choose who can represent the country in international competition, specifically the SEA Games. Agra also adds that the sport is already earmarked as a demonstration sport in the ASEAN Para Games.