RIO Olympics weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz just dreamt of having her own home but yesterday, August 31, it was fulfilled after 8990 Holdings, Inc. and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) sealed a partnership through a memorandum of agreement (MOA), formalizing the premier mass housing developers' sponsorship to award house and lots to medalists of the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The MOA signing was held at the PSC conference room in Manila Wednesday, August 31.
Present during the signing were 8990 Holdings, Inc. president and chief executive officer (CEO) Januario Jesus "JJ" Atencio and 8990 chief operating officer (COO) Willie Uy as well as PSC chairman William "Butch" Ramirez while Diaz, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) Committee president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco and PSC commissioners Charles Raymond A. Maxey, Ramon Fernandez, Celia Kiram and Arnold Agustin served as witnesses.
The 25-year-old native of Mampang, Zamboanga City thanked 8990 Holdings, Inc. for its generosity, saying, "Itong ginagawa ko, mga binigay ni God is meant to inspire other athletes."
In an earlier interview with VoxPop Davao during her brief trip in Davao City after paying President Rodrigo Duterte a courtesy visit, Diaz said, "I'm happy, pangarap ko talagang magkabahay, tapos ngayon ibibigay lang sa akin ng libre. Sabi ko, Lord thank you, Thank you Deca Homes."
Atencio, for his part, said that their company, whose slogan "Family Life Matters", looks for ways to support different sports and encourage children to be in sports.
According to him, 8990 has been throwing support to wakeboarding as Deca Wake Clark had also hosted a world championship. The company also backed the staging of the 2016 Asia-Pacific Intermediate and Seniors Baseball Tournament last month.
"We believe that sports develop discipline," Atencio said, adding that they just don't build houses for families but they also aim to make their lives better.
Meanwhile, Diaz said that the lot she was eyeing to buy near her Mampang home where she plans to build a weightlifting gym for young children was not for sale.
Thus, she will look for other possible areas instead.
Diaz also received P7.5 million cash incentives, P5 million from the national government through the PSC, another P2 million from President Duterte and P500,000 from the Zamboanga City Government.
Senator Manny Pacquiao also rewarded her along with other private corporations.
Diaz, since she arrived from Rio, has become an instant celebrity as she has graced various TV shows of different TV networks.
