MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The sound of excited laughter and the squeak of sneakers echoed throughout the 838 Sports Center in Tondo, Manila recently as participants of the OKBet “Play It Forward” campaign gathered for their basketball camp. With the help of the local sportsbook, the next generation of Filipino athletes were given an opportunity to hone their skills and gain experience.
Among the beneficiaries for the grassroots initiative were students from the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program of Marcela Agoncillo Elementary School, Rajah Solaiman Elementary School, and Pedro Guevarra Elementary School.
Aged 16 to 20 years old, participants learned directly from the pros, namely, the players and coaching staff from the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) team GenSan Warriors OKBet, headed by Coach Marlon Martin.
At the awarding ceremony, Robert Chen, Vice President for Marketing and Business Development of OKBet, and Wendella Tabio, Education Program Specialist for ALS Manila, recognized the hard work of the participants.
“Kami sa DepEd ay lubos na natutuwa na mapabilang sa [programa ng OKBet],” said Tabio. “Nawa’y magpatuloy ang inyong adhikain na ma-develop lalo ang skills ng ating mga kabataan sa larangan ng palakasan,” [We at DepEd are delighted to be part of OKBet’s program and we hope it will continue to provide young people with the opportunity to reach their full athletic potential].”
Mermann Flores, team manager of the powerhouse Gensan Warriors, and point guard Nico Elorde shared inspiring words with the participants at the event.
“Dream high, reach your goals. ‘Wag susuko,” Elorde told the ALS learners.
Last October, OKBet stirred up excitement for its “Play It Forward” campaign during the first public appearance of candidates for Mr. and Ms. Chinatown 2022, which the sports booking platform company also sponsored.
At the launch event, OKBet’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program Manager Pebbles Muniz shared her enthusiasm for inspiring Filipino youth through sports, expressing the company’s desire to reach out to young promising athletes around the country.
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