Citi Philippines Supports the Philippine Paralympic Committee and Filipino Para-athletes in LAKAD PARA ATLETA

The spirit of diversity and inclusion brings together Citi Philippines and the Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) for the inaugural “LAKAD PARA ATLETA”, a walk to support the country’s Paralympic movement, held at the University of the Philippines College of Science Oval at UP Diliman, Quezon City.

This event aims to raise awareness and funds to benefit the country’s Para athletes, especially as they prepare to compete in the upcoming 10th ASEAN Para Games, to be held at the New Clark City Sports Complex in January 2020.  Citi formalized a partnership with the Philippine Paralympic Committee in December of last year, as part of a global agreement between Citi and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The international agreement supports 18 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) in the lead up to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Through the partnership, Citi will help generate excitement and national pride around the extraordinary accomplishments of the country’s para-athletes. In the Philippines, Citi is proudly sponsoring two of the country’s top Para athletes: Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta (power lifting) and Jerrold Mangliwan (wheelchair racing.)

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) is also supporting the PPC by holding a series of sports activities for an “Olympic Day” together with the country’s top athletes from the Philippine Olympians Association (POA).

PPC President Michael Barredo and Citi Philippines CEO Aftab Ahmed walked together during the last leg of an Olympic torch relay, which marked the opening of the Lakad Para Atleta walk. In a show of unity, both Para athletes from the PPC and athletes from the POA participated in both the relay and the walk together. More than 2,000 participants joined the walk, including over 800 employees from Citi Philippines.

“Citi Philippines is excited about the opportunity to partner with the PPC and to jointly work on the common goal of greater inclusion in sports. We are thrilled to sponsor the inaugural ‘Lakad Para Atleta’. Our 800 Citi volunteers present today feel honored to be participating side-by-side with the nation’s incredible para-athletes and their supporters,” declared Citi Philippines CEO Aftab Ahmed.
“We are overwhelmed by the support of our partners, especially Citi Philippines. ‘Lakad Para Atleta’ and our partnership with Citi will help increase awareness of Para sports in the country as we prepare for the upcoming ASEAN Para Games in January 2020, as well as the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics later on the same year. We hope to make our fellow Filipinos proud of our achievements both in the sporting arena as well as in our quest to promote equality for all,” said Philippine Paralympic Committee President Michael Barredo.

“LAKAD PARA ATLETA” is co-sponsored by the Philippine Paralympic Committee and Citi Philippines with support of the University of the Philippines, the Philippine Olympic Committee, the Philippine Olympians Association and other organizations.

The event is also the culminating activity of Citi’s annual Global Community Day tradition, which gives employees the opportunity to make a positive impact in their communities through volunteerism. In May and June 2019, over 7,000 Citi Philippines employees participated in 23 volunteer activities to help communities in need and raise awareness of important issues, such as inclusion and equality.

About Citi

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About IPC

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. It co-ordinates the organization of the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and serves as the International Federation for 10 sports, for which it supervises and co-ordinates the World Championships and other competitions. The IPC’s vision is to enable Para athletes to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world.

PH kicks off 10th ASEAN Para Games

The Philippine Paralympic Committee officially kicked off the 10th ASEAN Para Games (APG) on Friday, January 18, 2019  -- exactly a year before the event takes place on January 2020 -- at the Novotel Manila in Quezon City.

Earlier in the day, international representatives of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) made an ocular inspection of the official event venues in Clark, Subic and Manila. The New Clark City Sports Complex is now under construction in Capas, Tarlac where a 20,000-seat stadium will rise, among other international standard competition venues. The sports complex will serve as the Athletes Village for both the Southeast Asian Games in December 2019 and the APG in January 2020.

The ASEAN Para Games 2020 begins on January 18, 2020 a few weeks after the completion of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. APG 2020 will be concluded on January 25, 2020.

For the second time since the ASEAN Para Games was established, the Philippines will be hosting the biannual multisport event for differently-abled athletes from the 11 member countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Myanmar, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Timor Leste and the Philippines.

An estimated 2,000 differently-abled athletes from different countries in Southeast Asia are expected to fly in for the 10th APG and compete in 14 sports : Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Boccia, Chess, Cycling, Volleysitting, Wheelchair-Basketball, Goalball, Judo, Powerlifting, Swimming, Tenpin Bowling, and Table Tennis. Participants in the APG include athletes with physical, vision and intellectual disabilities.

Michael Barredo, PPC President said “The Philippines is grateful for the opportunity to host the 10th APG, an event that will give all differently abled athletes in the region a platform to override their limitations and achieve the seemingly impossible. At the same time it will inspire our local para athletes to exceed their recent achievements and show that they can aspire for greater glory and give pride to our country.”

The ASEAN Para Games is under the regulation of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) while the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Asian Paralympic Committee lend technical and classification assistance when needed.

57 Athletes to Compete in Asian Para Games in Indonesia

Fifty-seven Filipino para athletes journey to Jakarta, Indonesia on Monday, October 1 to slug it out in the 3^rd Asian Para Games that will take place from October 6 to 13, 2018 in 19 locations around Jakarta.

Filipino para athletes will compete in 10 of 18 sports slated in the Para Games, namely archery, athletics, badminton, chess, cycling, judo, powerlifting, table tennis, swimming and tenpin bowling.

Leading the Philippine contingent are bemedalled para athletes Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta of powerlifting and Josephine Medina of table tennis. Ancheta holds the record for being the first Filipino to win a medal in the Paralympics after bagging a bronze medal in Sydney, Australia in 2000.  Ancheta won another bronze medal recently in the 2018 World Para Powerlifting Asia-Oceania Open Championships held in Fukuoka, Japan in early September. Medina won a bronze medal in 2016 at the Paralympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Philippine Paralympic Committee president Michael Barredo expressed optimism in the Philippine campaign in Jakarta, saying that the Philippines hopes to improve on its five silvers and five bronzes finish in Incheon, South Korea four years ago.

University of the Philippines Professor Francis Carlos Diaz who will serve as Chef de Mission said that the Philippine team went through rigorous training to prepare for this regional event. He thanked the Philippine Sports Commission for the generous support that it extended so that Filipino para athletes could compete for the country.

Donning the national colors are Agustina Bantiloc and Giovanni Ola (archery); Prudencia Panaligan, Andy Avellana, Jerrold Pete Mangliwan, Joel Balatucan, Evaristo Carbonel, Jeanette Acebeda, Marites Burce, Arman Dino and Cendy Asusano (athletics); Jonas Matados, Paz Lita and Kathleen Pedrosa (badminton); Sander Severino, Henry Roger Lopez, Jasper Rom, Minandro Redor, Israel Peligro, Arman Subaste, Francis Ching, Rodolfo Sarmiento, Cecilio Bilog, Fe Mangayayam, Jean-lee Nacita and Cheryl Angot (chess); Arthus Bucay and Godfrey Taberna (cycling); Gener Padilla, Deterson Omas and Carlito Agustin (judo); and Achelle Guion, Agustin Kitan, Marydol Pamatian and Romeo Tayawa (powerlifting).

Also joining the Jakarta trip are Minnie Cadag, Benedicto Gaela, Pablo Catalan, Darwin Salvacion and Smith Billy Cartera (table tennis); Ernie Gawilan, Gary Bejino, Roland Subido, Arnel Aba and Edwin Villanueva (swimming); and Kim Ian Chi, Samuel Matias, Angelito Guloya, Christopher Yue, Francisco Ednaco, Jaime Manginga, Augusto Hernandez, Crisostomo Yao, Noel Espanol and Ruben San Diego (tenpin bowling).

The Asian Para Games is a multi-sport event held every four years after every Asian Games for athletes with physical disabilities.The first Asian Games were held in Guangzhou, China in 2010. The second edition was held in 2014 in Incheon, Korea.

This year’s contingent hopes to better their last medal record to inspire other para athletes to break barriers and pursue their dream of representing the country.

ASEAN Para Sports meet in Manila gets big boost from International Paralympic Head

Preparations for the 10th ASEAN Para Games that will be hosted by the Philippines in January 2020 goes full swing this June with the meeting of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) that will be attended by Heads of National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) from the 11 member countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Myanmar, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Timor Leste and the Philippines.

Andrew Parsons, current president of the International Paralympic Committee, gives a big boost to the event as his Manila visit coincides with the conduct of the federation meeting. Parsons is here to help promote the Philippine paralympic movement, which embraces the IPC vision to enable para athletes to achieve sporting excellence, and inspire and excite the world.

At the top of the agenda is identification of the sports to be played in the 10th ASEAN Para Games (APG) that will be held in January 2020, after the 30th Southeast Asian Games that will also be hosted by the Philippines in December 2019.

A total of 16 sports were played in the 9th APG held in Malaysia in 2017. These were Boccia, Chess, Cerebral Palsy Football, Football 5-A-Side, Goalball, Para Archery, Para Athletics, Para Badminton, Para Cycling, Para Powerlifting, Para Swimming, Para Table Tennis, Sitting Volleyball, Tenpin Bowling, Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Tennis.

Participants in the APG include athletes with physical, vision and intellectual disabilities. The ASEAN Para Games is under the regulation of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) while the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Asian Paralympic Committee lend technical and classification assistance when needed.

The Para Games, held every two years, is traditionally hosted by the country where the Southeast Asian Games are held. It is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Michael Barredo, Philippine Paralympic Committee President, said the June meeting in Manila will set the preparations for the ASEAN Para Games in motion and Parsons’ presence here on a visit will boost efforts currently underway for the coming Para Games. This is the second time that the Philippines is hosting the ASEAN Para Games since 2005.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, who is ASEAN Para Games Organizing Committee Chairman, announced that the games will be held in three separate hubs located in Metro Manila, Clark and Subic. An international sports complex is now under construction in Clark where a 20,000-seat stadium is rising.  An aquatic center that meets Olympic standards is also in the works.

The ASEAN Para Sports Federation meeting will be held from June 8 to 9 at the Bonifacio Global City.

ASEAN Para Sports Meet in Manila gets Big Boost from International Paralympic Head

Preparations for the 10^th ASEAN Para Games that will be hosted by the Philippines in January 2020 goes full swing this June with the meeting of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) that will be attended by Heads of National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) from the 11 member countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Myanmar, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Timor Leste and the Philippines.

Andrew Parsons, current president of the International Paralympic Committee, gives a big boost to the event as his Manila visit coincides with the conduct of the federation meeting. Parsons is here to help promote the Philippine paralympic movement, which embraces the IPC vision to enable para athletes to achieve sporting excellence, and inspire and excite the world.

At the top of the agenda is identification of the sports to be played in the 10^th ASEAN Para Games (APG) that will be held in January 2020, after the 30^th Southeast Asian Games that will also be hosted by the Philippines in December 2019. 

A total of 16 sports were played in the 9th APG held in Malaysia in 2017. These were Boccia, Chess, Cerebral Palsy Football, Football 5-A-Side, Goalball, Para Archery, Para Athletics, Para Badminton, Para Cycling, Para Powerlifting, Para Swimming, Para Table Tennis, Sitting Volleyball, Tenpin Bowling, Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Tennis.

Participants in the APG include athletes with physical, vision and intellectual disabilities. The ASEAN Para Games is under the regulation of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) while the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Asian Paralympic Committee lend technical and classification assistance when needed.

The Para Games, held every two years, is traditionally hosted by the country where the Southeast Asian Games are held. It is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Michael Barredo, Philippine Paralympic Committee President, said the June meeting in Manila will set the preparations for the ASEAN Para Games in motion and Parsons’ presence here on a visit will boost efforts currently underway for the coming Para Games. This is the second time that the Philippines is hosting the ASEAN Para Games since 2005.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, who is ASEAN Para Games Organizing Committee Chairman, announced that the games will be held in three separate hubs located in Metro Manila, Clark and Subic. An international sports complex is now under construction in Clark where a 20,000-seat stadium is rising.  An aquatic center that meets Olympic standards is also in the works.

The ASEAN Para Sports Federation meeting will be held from June 8 to 9 at the Bonifacio Global City.  

*This is Press Release