ONE Championship, the biggest sports promotion in Asia, answered the call of Pangarap Foundation to help street children.
The foundation provides a safe haven for male street children who have suffered malnutrition, abandonment and other forms of abuse. One Hour seeks the support of corporations and their employees by asking them to donate an hour’s worth of their annual earnings to their projects.
On Thursday, Dec. 11, executives of ONE Championship and their sponsors LG Philippines Electronics found their way to a residential compound located beside the Libertad Public Market in Pasay City.
For an hour or so, they interacted with 78 boys who have been plucked from the streets. Former street children being taken care of by the Pangarap Foundation.
Rich Franklin, a three-time world champion and now the vice president of ONE Championship, enjoyed a game of dodge ball with the kids, with local fighter Eugene Toquero, Evolve coach Heath Sims and ring girl Mel Tan.
LG Philippines Electronics, through corporate marketing head Mayan Salapantan, was there as the company donated a 40-inch LED TV.
Their advocacy, which is to support institutions who take care of needy children, came on the occasion of Friday’s ONE: SPIRIT OF CHAMPIONS at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Brandon “The Truth” Vera beat Paul “Typhoon” Cheng for the inaugural ONE Heavyweight World Championship.
Franklin vowed to donate proceeds of the fight and its supporting bouts in support of the Reach for the S.K.Y. program.
The program is a project of Children’s Hour, a group which supports the Pangarap Foundation.
“We had fun here today, playing dodge ball, broke a little sweat, got active and brought some snacks. It’s our plan is to do community service every time we come here,” said Franklin.
The project has three aims, which is to provide caring services, healing services and teaching services.
“We are glad this happened. We were able to support them with a TV set,” said Salapantan.
She said more such activities have been planned with One Championship next year.
Children’s Hour executive director Net Garcia said they have been faithfully seeking help for the street children through the program for the past 15 years.
“We are happy with the support that ONE Championship has given to Children’s Hour. With the proceeds of the ticket sale, the kids can be provided with medical assistance, feeding and nutrition care,” said Garcia.
She added that the support of companies have helped the program become successful.