Globe TM taps sport’s ability to change lives
SUBMITTING to the ability of sports to make a difference in people’s lives, particularly, the youth, Globe TM has brought back its “TM Sports Para Sa Bayan” program this year with a bigger scope.
Established a year ago by the mobile service brand with the end view of doing its part in improving the lives of underprivileged youth by helping them reach their dreams through sports, the 2017 edition of TM Sports Para Sa Bayan does not only offer football and basketball this time around but also volleyball and is set to go to more areas in the country.
“We are really focusing on grassroots development with this program and trying to instill life lessons to young people like the value of sportsmanship, discipline, determination and teamwork which they can use beyond sports,” said Rofil Magto, Globe social responsibility manager, in an interview with BusinessWorld, at the program’s launch last week.
For the football component of the program, Globe has tapped the services of Green Archers United ( GAU), a professional football league which has been the company’s implementing partner in developing the football grassroots program in the last four years.
It has also partnered with select grassroots football organizations such as Dream Big Pilipinas (Metro Manila), Fundacion Santiago ( Vigan, Ilocos Sur and San Carlos City, Negros Occidental), and Fundlife International (Palo, Leyte).
The three nonprofit organizations all conduct free football clinics, tutoring sessions, and values formation sessions to kids in underprivileged communities, conflict areas, or disaster-affected provinces.
It has completed its run in Metro Manila and Tacloban in June, and was set to conduct the program in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, last weekend, and at the San Carlos Football Field in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, on July 29.
For the second straight year, Globe TM tied up with Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad ( Astro) and its regional over- the- top ( OTT) streaming service Tribe to allow talented Filipino kids to get a chance to undergo the Astro Kem Bola Advanced Training Program in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and, potentially, the Overseas Training Camp in Barcelona, Spain, by coaches from FC Barcelona Football Academy (FCBEscola) later this year.
On the other hand, TM Sports Para Sa Bayan’s basketball and volleyball programs will kick off later this year and will consist of free basketball and volleyball clinics for boys and girls in key cities nationwide.
For basketball, Mr. Magto said they have tied up anew with Method Basketball Academy, the basketball academy of Philippine Basketball Association star guard LA Tenorio, while for volleyball they said they are still in the process of identifying possible partners.
Having done TM Sports Para Sa Bayan for two years now, and the football program further back, Mr. Magto said that they at Globe TM have only grown more determined to further the campaign.
“One realization we have in the years that we are doing this is that we have a meaningful program here. That being a private company does not mean we should limit ourselves in what we can offer the communities that we serve,” Mr. Magto said.
Adding, “As far as sports development in the country, we cannot rely only on the government all the time. We can a make a difference as well as private entities by complementing what the government is doing.”
For Maui Rabuco, TM brand manager, said the Sports Para Sa Bayan program is a good fit for them as brand.
“TM has been known as mass brand so this program is our way of further reaching to our customers and our way of bringing back to the community. Since sports is big here, especially with the kids, this gives further insight into their lives as well as contributes on developing their future,” said Ms. Rabuco in a separate interview.
“We’ve always been a brand that engages the market and sports is one platform we are doing that. It is ingrained in the push of TM. It is important for us to be involved in helping communities because if we will not help each other then who will? I hope more companies would have programs of their own because these would certainly go a long way,” she added.