The country’s largest telecom PLDT Inc. ramps up its support for Filipino athletes as it partners with the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF). The partnership was sealed in a contract signing ceremony led by PLDT Inc. and Smart President and CEO Al Panlilio and PNVF President Ramon “Tats” Suzara, and witnessed by PNVF officials and Philippine National Team Captains Abby Marano and Jonvic de Guzman.

“We at PLDT are proud of our world-class Filipino sports champions and have always been committed to providing the best support possible as they represent our country in the global arena,” said Panlilio, who is also the president of MVP Sports Foundation and first vice president of the Philippine Olympic Committee. “This support starts from the grassroots level, because that’s where the pipeline of talent comes in. Our aspiration is to uplift the development of Philippine sports by empowering our athletes so they can carry their own weight and excel in their sport.”

The PNVF is sending the national teams to foreign training as they gear up for the 31st Southeast Asian Games set to be hosted by Vietnam from May 12 to 23.

The Philippine beach volleyball team has left for Brisbane, Australia, while the men’s volleyball team left for Qatar on March 20. The women’s team is scheduled to fly to Baureri, Brazil on April 12.

“Apart from Asian, it’s about time that our athletes get to learn and experience the South American and European ways of playing volleyball,” said Tats Suzara, PNVF President. “This way, they can benefit from a transfer of knowledge and put those skills into practice as they raise our Philippine flag in the incoming SEA Games.”

The PNVF also expressed its appreciation for PLDT as the telco brand sends the teams for international trainings. “Our goal is to see more of our players play in the world stage. We thank PLDT for making this possible, and we hope to bring more victories home to our country in the near future,” added Suzara.