Supporting Our Olympic Hopefuls

Swimmer Jasmine Alkhaldi, archer Pia Bidaure, karateka Prince Alejo, and archers Andrea Robles and Abby Bidaure are among the eight Atletang Ayala who are employed with flexible work arrangements so that they can continue to train for competition; more athletes will be welcomed into the program.

For the country’s top athletes, achieving their—and the nation’s—Olympic dreams continues to receive a much-needed boost from the Ayala group’s program to improve competitiveness in sports.

“Atletang Ayala’s goal is to provide for the underserved needs of selected national athletes, most especially as they train for international competitions,” said Francisco Romero Milán, chair of the Ayala Group HR Council and group head for Corporate Resources at Ayala.

Welcoming its inaugural class of eight national athletes in 2022, Atletang Ayala is under the Ayala Center for Excellence in Sports. The program is designed to give holistic support to the country’s Olympic hopefuls by providing them gainful employment with flexible work arrangements to allow for their training schedules, free access to the world-class training facilities of Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub, health maintenance services from the Healthway Medical Network, and education opportunities in partnership with De La Salle University.

Said ACES Program Lead Jaime Z. Urquijo: “We believe strongly that sports can play a unique role in national development, and we are honored within the Ayala group of companies to have this opportunity to provide more Filipino athletes the opportunity to pursue their sporting ambitions. Their skill, hard work, discipline, and resilience bring inspiration to all of us as they continue to be a source of national pride and hope for the country.”

Read the special feature on Atletang Ayala at How Atletang Ayala supports Olympic hopefuls | Inquirer Sports