Chris Tiu credits sports in winning TOYM award

MANILA, Philippines – Christopher John Alandy Dy Tiu, more popularly known as Chris Tiu, was honored with the prestigious “The Outstanding Young Men” award for Youth Leadership Development by President Benigno S. Aquino on at the Malacanang Palace on Thursday.

For over 55 years, the Junior Chamber International-Philippines together with the Gerry Roxas Foundation and the TOYM Foundation have given honor to those young achievers who have accomplished considerable, tangible results in the pursuit of excellence. Moreover, the award has been a veritable representation of what is best in man, celebrated through his spirit of service to others.

Surprisingly, people were expecting Tiu to be honored in the field of sports but when this cager is not on the basketball court, he engages in community activities and programs that empower youth leadership. He was also a former SK Chairman and currently a Barangay Kagawad in Urdaneta, Makati. Also supporting charities, Chris serves as an ambassador for Caritas, Habitat for Humanity, World Vision and Pilipinas Eco Warriors.

“It was really humbling and I’m very thankful to the TOYM foundation and to the Lord. TOYM has always been regarded as one of the most reputable award-giving bodies and when I was younger, I’d always look up to the past awardees. Never in my life that I thought I will be among of the awardees. It was a great honor to be part of the distinguished cast,” Tiu said.

“I would say that sports played a significant role in this award. If I wasn’t an athlete, there is a good chance that I may not have been given this citation. It goes to show how sports can play a good role in our daily lives especially when it comes to inspiring the youth. Sports has this great ability that allows people to relate to you and it helps create good values in your life. I’m very thankful to Ateneo, Xavier, the National team and Rain or Shine for allowing me to compete in the sport and use it as a tool to inspire others,” he added.

Tiu was also chosen to do the privilege speech in behalf of the 2013 TOYM awardees and was given an ovation afterwards.

Tiu delivers a speech. (Photo by Atty. Norman Pelinio)

“The whole idea is how the world changes through time and decades. But what should serve as our guiding pillars are the core values of TOYM, which are excellence, integrity and service to the community,” he said.

The other awardees of the TOYM are Emerson Bautista Atanacio (Social Entrepreneurship), June Cheryl Cabal-Revilla (Community Service), Nicole Paula Cayco Curato (Sociology), Custer Calingasan Deocaris (Science Communiction), Miguel Rene Alcantara Dominguez (Government and Public Service), Alonzo Aloloud Gabriel (Food Science and Technology), Karl Michael Gutierrez Reyes (Medicine) and Paolo Antonio Sandico Silva (Medicine).