The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
True to its promise in building a nation of champions, MILO Philippines celebrated its 60th year by marking a major milestone – energizing more than two million young Filipinos through its grassroots sports programs. In view of this achievement, MILO paid tribute to its invaluable sports partners in an event called ‘Gathering of Champions’. The Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and the Department of Education were among the distinct partners who were given recognition for their pivotal role in shaping and continuing the legacy of MILO in nurturing Filipino kids to success through sports.
Reinforcing its commitment to champion-building, Veronica Cruz, SVP of MILO Philippines and Business Executive Officer for Beverages and Confectionary, Nestlé Philippines, said in her speech: “Our commitment to getting Pinoy children into sports has never wavered. We are very proud of the heritage we’ve built, the relationships we’ve strengthened, the values we have helped teach young athletes. With the nation, we have celebrated the 60th year of MILO by a call to arms in bringing out the champion in every Filipino.”
Richard Bachmann, Chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission, expressed solidarity with MILO in their shared mission to uplift grassroots sports and inspire future champions among Filipinos.
“The landscape of Philippine sports is dynamic. We eagerly anticipate more victorious outcomes. I would like to extend our gratitude to MILO Philippines for being one of our partners in promoting physical wellness and health. Let us work harder to build more victories to discover new grassroots talents who will become our future flagbearers.”
MILO believes that sports is a great teacher. Driven by this belief, MILO continues to engage with young children, parents and teachers to banner the positive impacts of active play by scaling its efforts under the MILO Active Pilipinas campaign with its flagship programs including the National MILO Marathon, the MILO Barangay Liga, and the MILO Sports clinics.
“In 2024 alone, we mounted 15 legs of the National MILO Marathon across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, engaging around 180,000 participants to embrace an active lifestyle,” Cruz said. The National MILO Marathon, dubbed as the longest-running footrace in the country, has been a cornerstone of the nation’s running history, providing families and athletes a platform to perform at their best and foster a sense of community through sports.
Another key program called the MILO Barangay Liga also made a remarkable feat reaching 300 barangays with 2,000 young athletes per community. “That’s over half a million Filipino kids getting into sports in just six months,” Cruz added, attributing its success to the partnerships with sports clinics and local government units that supported the mission of MILO.
The MILO Sports Clinics, which served as an avenue for young aspiring athletes to learn the fundamentals of sports and develop character-forming values, hosted more than 800 sports clinics nationwide.
“We are grateful and proud to have partnered with those who share the same purpose as we do – nourishing kids’ journey to success through sports! With these partnerships, we have been able to create bigger impact!” Cruz remarked.
MILO also recognized its longstanding partners such as the BEST Center, the Philippine Taekwondo Association, Club Gymnastica, the Association for the Advancement of Karatedo among countless others for their unwavering dedication to developing young Filipino athletes.