Smart gives Phl sports big boost

MANILA, Philippines - Local sports continue to get a big boost from corporate sponsors with Smart Sports leading the way through staging of various sports tournaments and supporting athletes in international competitions.

The recent PLDT-Smart Women’s Tennis Circuit was the last big tournament Smart Sports staged in its continuing effort to help develop not only the sport but also the Filipino players, including local standouts Marinel Rudas and the Patrimonio sisters Christine and Clarice.

“Mr. Manny Pangilinan is very passionate in sports which is the reason why Smart Sports was put up to help sports in our own little way,” said Smart Sports chief Patrick Gregorio.

A noted sportsman and sports patron, Pangilinan is the chief backer of the Talk n Text team in the PBA and the two champion squads in the country’s premier collegiate leagues – Ateneo in the UAAP and San Beda in the NCAA.

Smart Sports is also the leading supporter of amateur basketball through the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the national sport association for the sport.

Aside from basketball and tennis, Smart Sports is also a leading backer of boxing, taekwondo, cycling and weightlifting.

“Athletes need exposure and that’s what we want to give them,” said Gregorio, also the alternate board governor of TnT in the PBA.

The group also backed cyclist Marites Bitbit’s campaign in the Asian Games along with the national boxers, taekwondo jins and weightlifters.