July 20, 2017 — A week after scooping the UNTV Cup Executive Face-off championship title, AFP Cavaliers donated their P1-Million prize to their chosen charity, the AFP Educational Benefit System Office (AFPEBSO). The donation will be used to sustain the education of the agency soldiers’ orphans who are beneficiaries of the AFPEBSO.

Calling the ceremonial check-giving “leaving no soldier’s orphan behind”, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Ano received the P1-Million-check donation from Vice Admiral Narciso Vingson, the AFP Deputy Chief of Staff and chairman of AFPEBSO last July 17 this year in Camp Aguinaldo.

“Emosyonal ‘yung usapan namin, i-aalay natin ito doon sa mga kasama nating sundalo na namatay sa Marawi, [sa] pamilya nila. Kaya pursigido talaga ‘yung team,” said Cavaliers head coach Sonny Manucat in an interview during the July 10 event.

(We’re emotional because we offer this to our comrades who were killed in Marawi, [to] their families. So our team was really determined.)

The basketball team of the AFP beat PNP Responders during the Finals on July 10 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, where cash prizes totaling P2.15-Million were given to the winning teams’ chosen beneficiaries, as well as the seed fund for the creation of a foundation for former professional basketball players.

Other Runners-Up Charity Efforts

Meanwhile, runner-up PNP Responders will offer their P500,000 cash prize to aid the families of policemen killed and wounded in action in the ongoing Marawi operations.

The DOJ Justice Boosters who secured the UNTV Cup third place, will donate its P250,000 prize to its chosen charity. Meanwhile, the Judiciary Magis were given P200,000 as a prize for claiming the fourth place.

Moreover, the Senate Sentinels and the BOC Transformers, who finished in the fifth and sixth places, respectively, received P100,000 each.

All the runner-up teams will also be donating their winnings to each of their own selected beneficiaries.

One million pesos was also awarded to the newly-established Samahan ng mga Dating Propesyonal na Basketbolista sa Pilipinas Foundation. The seed money will be used for the benefit of former basketball professionals who are in need of medical assistance.

Written by Elizabeth Borromeo