MILO and PHISGOC formalize SEA Games partnership

A celebratory toast between PHISGOC and Milo Philippines, flanked by Milo Champions Kiefer Ravena, Alyssa Valdez, and Pauline Lopez.

MILO reaffirms its commitment to the advancement of local sports with its partnership with the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) for the upcoming 30th Southeast Asian Games, vowing to continue to energize Team Pilipinas in their quest to become champions.

Serving as witnesses to the event are a couple of national athletes who also happen to be MILO champions: Volleyball icon Alyssa Valdez and Taekwondo sensation Pauline Lopez. Both ladies lauded MILO Philippines for their continuous efforts in championing athletes in the local and global setting.

Valdez shares, "When we hear the crowd cheering their hearts out for us, it’s a special feeling. It helps me hit harder, jump higher, and play smarter. It allows us to believe that we can overcome the odds and win together."

Lopez adds, "There will always be doubters and naysayers who will try to pull you down. Instead of being affected by their negativity, I channel all my efforts towards proving them wrong, becoming a stronger version of my self, and in the process inspiring others, especially young girls."

Both ladies form the centerpiece of a series of inspirational videos that are to be released in the run-up for the SEA Games. As they gear up for their respective stints, the videos capture the moments they displayed discipline, confidence, and determination during training and the rousing effects of having a nation of champions encouraging them in every step of the way. These will be posted on MILO Philippines' Facebook page, as well as the Youtube page of Nestlé Philippines.

The 2019 SEA Games' theme and motto "We Win As One" celebrates unity in diversity and heralds the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship amongst Filipinos, as well as with the rest of the ASEAN community. Such principles fit with the lifelong values MILO espouses with its grassroots programs: the MILO Sports Clinics, MILO Barangay Liga, MILO Champ Camp, MILO Little Olympics, and the National MILO Marathon.

Nestlé Philippines-MILO Vice President Veronica Cruz shares, "As a longtime supporter of Philippine sports, it is with great honor and a privilege that MILO comes in as a gold partner for the historic 30th SEA Games. As our athletes and local sports communities continue to work hard in the preparation for the SEA Games, we want to help energize the country to cheer them on and let them know that we are all with them in defending our home court, win or lose."

Officially slated to take place from November 30 to December 11, the 2019 SEA Games is set to be the largest edition ever, with just under ten thousand athletes and team officials participating in 56 sports. Alongside them are just over two thousand technical officials, 1,500 members of the press, and twelve thousand volunteers, with a reach of as much as half a billion viewers.

New Clark Sports Village serves as the main hub, with the Subic Bay Freeport Zone acting as the secondary hub and the tertiary hub found in Metro Manila and its surrounding areas.

Milo launches Champ Camp and Barangay Liga

Milo Champ Camp and Milo Barangay Liga

On Wednesday, Milo Philippines reaffirmed its commitment to getting the Filipino child into sports, establishing a couple of programs that would achieve that objective, with the Milo Champ Camp and the Milo Barangay Liga.

According to Nestle Philippines, Inc. Vice President Willy de Ocampo, "Milo is proud to kick off these two latest additions to our growing portfolio of grassroots sports programs, which will be offered for free. It is our hope that by reaching out to different public schools and barangays around the country that more parents and kids will realize the value of sports, and ultimately, build a nation of champions."

The Milo Champ Camp will be conducted in partnership with the Department of Education, with a pop-up one-day clinic being established to teach basketball, volleyball, and football to public school elementary students. Complementing this are insightful talks that are addressed to the parents, aimed at reminding them on the value of getting their kids into sports as well as the importance in providing proper nutrition and energy to kick off a normal day. Tabled to commence starting this coming school year, with a planned rollout to three hundred public schools across the country, with an estimated reach to be around half a million students and thirty thousand parents.

Addressing the media about the Champ Camp, Milo Consumer Marketing Activations Executive Kevin Mauricio shares, "Learning continues outside the classroom, and we at MILO want to reach out to both parents and kids by providing an interactive glimpse into popular sports. We want to introduce the basics of popular ball sports by offering a hands-on experience for elementary students, and give importance to sports in the child’s overall development."

The Milo Barangay Liga, on the other hand, highlights Milo's desire to establish a safe place to play for kids at the barangay level. To do that, Milo is looking to rehabilitate basketball courts at a hundred barangays across the country, as north as Baguio to as south as General Santos City. They will also replenish the venue with sports equipment, transforming them into a Milo Court of Values.

Addressing the media about the Barangay Liga, Milo Sports Executive Lester Castillo shares, "All these efforts are being made so that the barangay’s young residents, and even children from surrounding communities and nearby schools will have access to well-conditioned sports venues and become inspired to go out and play. We want to encourage kids in the barangays to become more active through sports, and not be too consumed with their gadgets. We envision Barangay MILO Liga to be a training ground for young athletes to pick up at least one sport, develop their skills, and hone their character as future champions. We are very thankful to the barangays who have partnered with us to rally behind this advocacy."