MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Allianz PNB Life just launched “Kickoff!: The Allianz PNB Life Virtual Football and Futsal Mastery Challenge” last Feb. 17, together with its partner, the Moran Foundation. They are joined by the Department of Education (DepEd), United City Football Club (UCFC), TikTok and Sunsport Soccerball in the promotion of this event.
“Kickoff!” is a nationwide online challenge for young Filipino amateur football and futsal players, where they can showcase their ball mastery skills via social media, specifically on Tiktok and Facebook. This is open to males and females aged 18 and below, provided they are currently enrolled at a DepEd-accredited school.
Eligible contestants must post a 30-second Tiktok video entry and cross-share it on Facebook with the hashtag #AllianzBallMastery. A panel of judges from Allianz PNB Life, DepEd, the Moran Foundation, and UCFC will decide the overall winners of the challenge. The closing of the event and awarding of winners is set for April 1.
“Due to the limited mobility we are experiencing from the pandemic, it has been difficult for organizations, interested learners, and fans alike to engage in any face-to-face sporting events,” said Alexander Grenz, President and CEO of Allianz PNB Life. “This online challenge was developed in order to reach young Filipino football and futsal players, providing them a platform to showcase their skills, and an opportunity to celebrate football and futsal as a sport in a safe, responsible manner.”
“Our surveys show that there is a great need for young Filipino students to continue to be active and engaged in sports during the pandemic.” said Danny Moran, Chairman of the Moran Foundation. “In partnering with Allianz PNB Life and the Department of Education, we will be able, despite of the restrictions on face-to-face sports, to support the sporting interests of younger, school-age athletes by helping them be physically active and motivating them to maximize their skills via a virtual competition.”
Allianz PNB Life has been a long-time partner of the Moran Foundation in developing grassroots football and futsal in the Philippines. Together, the two organizations have backed the National Youth Futsal Cup, and Allianz PNB Life supported the 10th ASEAN Para Games bid of the Philippines’ first cerebral palsy football team, the Moran-established CP Rascals. Allianz PNB Life also won a silver award for its National Youth Futsal Invitational (ANYFI) at the Sports Industry Awards Asia in 2019.
“Globally, Allianz is a massive supporter of football, and we are thrilled to see the awareness and interest in it grow here in the Philippines. We want to contribute to that through the Allianz Football and Futsal Virtual Skills Challenge, which is a great way to promote football and futsal in the country, as well as recognize talented Filipino kids who want to take part in the sport,” said Grenz. “We are inviting every young athlete out there to join us in this endeavor. For the love of the sport, let’s play ball!”
For more information on Allianz PNB Life’s Football and Futsal Virtual Skills Challenge, please visit www.allianzpnblife.ph, or visit their Facebook.
