CPC takes program beyond sports

CPC members take time out of their busy schedule to bring joy to children this Christmas. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/CPC

For the second straight year, Christmas was more than trophies and titles for the Collegiate Press Corps (CPC) and collegiate sports champions from the UAAP and NCAA.

Together, they shifted their focus from crafting game-day victories—and the stories about these triumphs—to the joy of giving back, delivering holiday cheer to Concordia Children’s Services, a Manila-based orphanage caring for abandoned and at-risk children.

The CPC initiative began with the first term of its president, John Bryan Ulanday.

“Most of the projects in sports are usually held at the court for games and function halls for awarding ceremonies. It’s often centered on the athletes and their chronicles,” the sportswriter out of The Philippine Star said. “At first, I was just thinking of innovative projects for the group aside from the potential return of the campus journalism workshop and, of course, our annual awards night. Then, last year, when I was elected for the first term, it just came to me out of nowhere to veer away from that at least once a year.”

The result was a Christmas outreach program focused on fostering connections with children who have big dreams.

“Like other organizations during the holidays, why not give back for Christmas? We chose an orphanage, kids with big dreams,” Ulanday said. “With the presence of champion teams from the UAAP and the NCAA, it’s for the very reason and hope that one day, these well-deserved kids would get to study and excel in the colleges and universities we just use to cover for sports, aside from having long-sought homes and families.”

Partners’ generosity

The event was filled with joy, as the children engaged in face painting, festive games and interactive magic and bubble shows organized by the CPC and collegiate athletes. Beyond entertainment, the program delivered essential supplies, including food, toys, medicine and groceries, ensuring support that would extend well beyond the holiday season.

This ambitious initiative was made possible through the generosity of partners from the Philippine sports community, including San Miguel Corp., NBA Philippines and various UAAP and NCAA teams. Coaches like UP’s Goldwin Monteverde and NorthPort’s Bonnie Tan lent their support.

“Sports is a gift that keeps on giving and there’s no better time to champion this than Christmas,” Ulanday said. “This project is the fruit of our belief that sports can inspire hope, create opportunities and build bridges of kindness.”

By championing causes that resonate with the heart of the community, the CPC reminded everyone that the greatest victories are those that uplift and inspire the most vulnerable among us. —INQUIRER SPORTS STAFF