German Ambassador’s Cup raises funds for endangered cockatoo
The German Ambassador ’s Cup (GAC) 2017, organized by the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (GPCCI), together with the German embassy, was met with great success with a record number of 106 players.
Staged for the 15th time and located this year at the Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club, this invitational charity golf tournament assembled entrepreneurs standing for German-Philippine trade and industry, leaders from the Philippine government, and members of the diplomatic and consular corps.
By joining the GAC, sponsors and individual players supported the Palawanbased Katala Foundation in its efforts to protect the critically endangered Philippine cockatoo.
Since 1998, the Katala Foundation implements the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program together with local communities. Forest destruction and wildlife poaching brought the Philippine cockatoo to the brink of extinction. Through its conservation program, Katala Foundation helps communities specifically by engaging former wildlife poachers to become guardians of the Philippine cockatoo.
The tournament was followed by a spirited reception in the evening at the ambassador’s residence in Makati City. The reception served as an opportunity for the attendees to meet with representatives from the embassy and GPCCI as well as decision-makers in the Philippine government.
Ambassador Gordon Kricke and GPCCI president Tristan Arwen Loveres welcomed the guests at the reception. Katala Foundation representative Audrey Tan-Zubiri gave a short talk on the current status of the critically endangered Philippine cockatoo and invited everyone to actively protect not only the endemic wildlife of the country but also the environment in general.
German embassy deputy head of mission Roland Schissau and Peter Kompalla, GPCCI executive director, acknowledged the generosity of the event sponsors and partners from which a donation was awarded to the Katala Foundation. The reception also served as a venue for the awarding of winners of the GAC led by tournament director Klaus Schroeder. Exciting prizes were also raffled off to the guests.
The tournament winners are: 1st runner-up for gross - Marvin Caparros; lowest gross - Laos Ambassador Phoxay Khaykhamphithoune; 2nd runner-up net - major Joel Delmundo; 1st runner-up net – Capt. Lenell Lacson.
Debbie Schenk brought home the GAC championship trophy and was the first to sign the Berlin Buddy Bear, a tradition that was started this year.
In a few years time, the bear, designed by a local artist, will be laced with the signatures of the proud winners of the German Ambassador’s Cup. The evening was capped off by a delicious buffet dinner sponsored by the German Club.
This event would not have been a great success without the generous contributions of sponsors. In light of this, The German embassy would like to thank the following: BDO as the double eagle sponsor (event partner), Allianz-PNB Life Insurance Inc. and PPI Pazifik Power Inc. as the eagle sponsors (supporting partner), Harle Philippines Inc., International Container Terminal Services Inc., and Lufthansa German Airlines as the birdie sponsors (premium hole sponsors), 2SL Logistics and Trucking Services Inc., Association of International Shipping Lines Inc., Asian Carmakers Corp. (BMW), Auto Nation Group Inc. (Mercedes Benz), BAG electronics Inc. (Trilux), Bosch Service Solutions, B. Braun Medical Supplies Inc., Castillo, Laman, Tan Pantaleon and San Jose, CS Garment Inc., Deutsche Bank AG Manila, Grohe Philippines Inc., Julius Berger International, Lufthansa Technik Philippines, Magsaysay Global Inc., MHE-Demag (P) Inc., Royal Cargo Combined Logistics Inc., Siemens Inc., SGV & Co., TÜV Rheinland Philippines Inc., Voss Aviation & Motion Technology Philippines Corp., Werdenberg International Corp., and ZAMA Precision Industry Manufacturing Philippines Inc. as the bogey sponsors (hole sponsors), DNV GL AS Philippine branch as the longest drive sponsor, Deutsche Motorgeräte Inc. and Philippine Batteries Inc. (Motolite) as the hole in one sponsors, BASF Philippines Inc. as the nearest to the pin sponsor, Automobile Central Enterprise Inc. (Volkswagen) as the golf cart sponsor, Blue Horizons Travel & Tours Inc., Brotzeit, Camp John Hay, and Novotel as the raffle sponsors, and the German Club Manila as the dinner sponsor.