Ayuda Sa Atleta, a campaign to assist national athletes during the pandemic, concludes this November with close to 600 recipients so far.
Para athletes were the first to benefit with a total of 171 coming from PHILSPADA and 10 National Sports Associations, including athletics, badminton, sailing, para triathlon, chess, goalball, dance sport, table tennis, tenpin bowling and wheelchair basketball.
For the regular athletes, 358 from 14 NSAs received gift packs, including national athletes based and training in Baguio.
Sports represented were softball, baseball, judo, kurash, women’s basketball, triathlon, duathlon, sepak takraw, pencak silat, kick boxing, karate-do, boxing, muay thai, athletics and chess.
“We are extending our heartfelt thanks to all the companies and kind-hearted individuals, who donated both cash and in kind, totalling around P550,000, which we spent for the goods in the eco bags and other logistical expenses. Thanks, too, to Annette Nelmida, mother of blind para triathletes Joshua and Jerome, and Tom Carrasco in coordinating the release of the goods to the different NSAs,” said sportswriter Lito Cinco, who initiated the project and teamed up with triathlon head Carrasco, sports patron Alex Wang, Nino Sinco, and Karen Tanchanco Caballero in the implementation of the the project.
The companies that donated were led by Cebuana Lhuillier, whose president Jean Henri Lhuillier jumpstarted the drive with a P250,000 seed fund, Foton Philippines, Asian Centre for Insulation, F2 Logistics, the Philippine Racing Commission, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Inc., through its president ex-PBA player Mike Advani, Philippine Couriers, Alaska, Gatorade and Nestle Philippines.
Government agencies that supported in coordinating the release of the goods were the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and the PHILSPADA.
“We still have ‘ayuda’ bags for distribution, so those who have not received yet can get in touch with me or Tom to coordinate the release,” said Cinco.
