 |
| (Image Source: The Post) |
San Miguel Corporation president Ramon Ang sees the Philippines' weightlifting fairy Hidilyn Diaz as a game-changer when she ended the Philippines' 97-year hunt for its first Olympic gold medal. On August 24, 2021, together with fiance and coach Julius Naranja, Diaz personally received the Php10 million reward the businessman pledged for anyone who would capture the elusive gold.
Diaz won the women's 55-kilogram weightlifting event at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics on the night of July 26, 2021, making the Philippines a part of the Olympic gold medal winning countries' list and setting a new Olympic record at 127 kg in 'clean and jerk'. It also served as, without argument, the best news the Filipino nation has ever received amidst the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Hidilyn is the country’s trailblazer in our successful Olympic gold medal quest. After years of heartbreaks, she came through for us and we are very thankful as a nation. Her victory comes at a very crucial point in our country’s history when we are grappling with a pandemic and a lot of Filipinos are looking for hope as we fight this virus and cope with the difficulties it has brought," Ang said.
Upon meeting at the SMC office in Pasig City on the same day, Ang surprisingly rewarded the Philippines' first Olympic gold medalist with two Magnolia Chick 'n Juicy franchises that she could put up in her new condominium in Quezon City courtesy of Megaworld Corporation and her hometown of Zamboanga City. “With the franchise outlets, we will assist Hidilyn every step of the way in her journey as an entrepreneur so that she can also help other people in need of jobs. In addition to the physical stores, equipment, and training, we will also provide the initial stocks for free to get her started,” he added.
Ang called on everyone to channel their own Hidilyn Diaz and carry on in the fight against COVID-19. The business tycoon said he believes that similar to how Diaz disciplined herself for her Olympic run, people can also be role medals throughout the pandemic era by following health and safety protocols imposed and implemented by the government to avoid the further spread of the virus. He concluded, “Being a world-class athlete takes a lot of discipline and adherence to time-tested rules in order to be the best. Beating this pandemic requires the same. We can all do our share by being diligent with following health protocols and getting vaccinated. There is a Hidilyn in each one of us and we can all carry the country’s weight on our shoulders through this difficult period."
