Sports

At the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub inside Vermosa Estate in Imus, Cavite, a Athlete’s House has opened with the goal of improving the training of elite national athletes who are honing their abilities for national and international tournaments.

On July 10, the 30-room athletes’ housing, situated on the expansive Sports Hub premises of the 752-hectare Ayala Land estate, was formally opened. Shortly thereafter, the Athletics Center Dugout’s groundbreaking ceremony was held.

One of only three football pitches in the nation with a valid FIFA certification, the Athlete’s House is conveniently located near the various sports facilities of the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub. These facilities include an Olympic-sized swimming pool that meets FINA standards and has a warm-up area, an IAAF-certified 400-meter track oval, a multi-sport open field, and an indoor fitness center with a sports science laboratory.

Designed with the Filipino athlete in mind, room configurations are built to suit a team seeking a comfortable and convenient home base for training or a family looking for an active getaway. The bathrooms have a three-way feature to enable three persons to use the shower, toilet, and vanity area simultaneously. There are other offers such as a marketplace, open bar and lounge that guests will enjoy. The best part is that the training facilities and gym are just a few meters away.

The Athletics’ Center Dugout meanwhile is the only missing piece to the FIFA Certified football field that will turn the AVSH grounds into a busy competition venue for both professional and amateur leagues. It is projected for completion in the first quarter of 2025. The facility features locker rooms for playing teams, a dedicated room for officials and referees, a room for media partners, and an open deck for VIP guests with panoramic views of the field and track. AVSH also improves spectator experience by investing on expansive canopies to better protect spectators from the weather.

The professionally managed Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub has long been intended to be the premier training ground of amateur and professional athletes and the preferred venue for national and international sports events in the Philippines.

Among the athletes supported by Ayala Corp. are two-time Olympic swimmer Jasmine Alkhaldi; gold-medal archer Andrea Robles; youngest nationally ranked karateka Prince Alejo; world-ranked archer and SEAG medalist Pia Bidaure; world-ranked archer Abby Bidaure; Philippines’ top foil fencer Nat Perez; world-ranked fencer Noel Jose and Filipino Olympian pole vaulter EJ Obiena, currently ranked second in the world.

Recently, Vermosa also opened its facilities to the young athletes of Takbo Kabitenyo, a non-profit organization for young runners from Cavite who aspire to become national athletes one day.

“The formal inauguration of the Athlete’s House is a testament of Vermosa’s ongoing commitment to support Philippine sports and encourage a healthy and active lifestyle for all,” said Moses John (MJ) Aragones, Project Development Manager of Ayala Land Estates, Inc.

National sports associations including the Philippine Athletic and Track and Field Association, Philippine Rugby Football Union, and Triathlon Association of the Philippines regularly train at the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub (AVSH). AVSH has a pay-per-use facility and is accessible to the general public. By making a reservation on the hotline 09674055782, anyone can train there.

On Sunday, June 30, the much awaited running event with a sustainability theme, the Green Run at Vermosa, returns for its third year, promising to be even more impactful and to give back to the community in many ways.

The Run, which was started in 2022 with the goal of celebrating life and promoting health in the wake of the epidemic, is accessible to runners of all skill levels over a range of running lengths. Beginners can participate in a 3K run, moderate runners can enter a 5K category, serious runners can enter a 10K challenge, and elite runners and athletes in training can enter a 21K half-marathon. A 1K Dog Run where companion dogs and their owners can interact and get active together is being held for the second year in a row. In response to the demand for this enjoyable addition from last year, Green Run is expanding the number of places available for “furries” and their “fur parents” this year.

Fueled by its 2024 theme of ““Go Greener, Get Leaner, Give Back: Run Towards a Brighter Future”, The Green Run will kick off new Vermosa initiatives on its third year. To further the Estates’ advocacy for the environment, young athletes and animal welfare, Vermosa will implement “Carless Weekends” in designated zones to lessen the carbon footprint at Vermosa. It will also launch the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub Velocity Running Club with weekly running activities for its members and classes conducted by Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub (AVSH) coaches, to sustain a life of fitness and overall wellness.

The third version of the Green Run also added two more partner-beneficiaries this year. The Haribon Foundation will be joined by the Pawssion Project, a non-profit organization that rescues animals suffering from abandonment, abuse, injury or neglect and Takbo Kabitenyo, a running team from Cavite that aims to inspire the youth and promote sports and a healthy lifestyle. Part of the registrants’ fees will go to the support of future young runners from Cavite.

“The Green Run has always been an exhilarating experience for runners – be they casual, serious or elite. The freshness of the air in Vermosa, the lush foliage and the clear pathways have been hailed as real boons by participants. On its third year, the experience will be even better as the whole Vermosa Estate continues to blossom with new features. The Athletes House in the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub is now accommodating guests, the FIFA-certified football pitch is operational and the new Ayala Mall Vermosa is now open with more food outlets. More importantly, the northern part of Vermosa is being rapidly developed. Runners will find more amenities and conveniences this year,” said Moses “MJ” Aragones, Vermosa Project Development Manager.

According to Mr. Aragones, Vermosa’s annual The Green Run demonstrates its dedication to the environment and to its vision and goal, which include encouraging sports and a healthy lifestyle. “We are committed to health, fitness, and the growth of Philippine sports,” Aragones continued. “Our Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub is a state-of-the-art, professionally-managed sports facility with an Olympic-sized pool that meets FINA standards, a warm-up pool, an IAAF-standard 400-meter track oval, a football field, an athletes’ lounge and dormitory, and a Sante Fitness Lab.”

Those interested in participating in Green Run can register at ayalaland.myruntime.com.

The second year of Run2Plant: Para sa Greener Pinas, a virtual run initiative by Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), a non-profit organization dedicated to upholding human dignity through community-based efforts to improve social, physical, and economic well-being in the Philippines, officially begins under the One To Tree (OTT) program.

Run2Plant, co-presented by Anytime Fitness and Pinoy Fitness, offers Filipinos a fresh, accessible, and ecologically friendly method to run, especially in honor of June’s Philippine Environment Month. RAFI promises to plant one to three trees with each registration, contingent on the run package selected by the participant.

Funds donated from the simulated race will go toward reforestation efforts in Batangas, with the goal of planting 6,000 native trees, expanding forest cover, and mitigating the serious effects of climate change, all in the name of creating a “Greener Pinas.”

Last year’s Run2Plant had 700 participants from different parts of the country. In partnership with the Bagacay Tree Growers Association, runners contributed to adopting 1,450 native trees in Borbon, Cebu, yielding a total of 9,900 kilograms of potential carbon sequestered per year.

Registration for Run2Plant: Para sa Greener Pinas is ongoing. Here are the steps:

1. Download the Pinoy Fitness App in Google Play Store or Apple Store. Choose and register on RUN2PLANT Virtual Run on the app.
2. Select your preferred distance and sign up.
3. Wait for the confirmation email and complete the payment process via online bank deposit. Registration fees are:

Participants can either finish a 5K, 10K, or 21K run at their own pace and anywhere in the Philippines from June 1 to 30, 2024 by using any GPS-tracking running app, watch, or treadmill.

Registered participants will also have free access to treadmills in 48 Anytime Fitness branches nationwide from said dates where they can complete the virtual run by signing up to tinyurl.com/Run2PlantAFRegis.

To complete the task, runners simply snap a picture of their performance using a treadmill or running app and upload it to Run2Plant. A Run2Plant finisher’s medal and completion certificate will be awarded to participants who successfully complete their selected distance.

Run2Plant seeks to make everyone’s future better and more environmentally friendly by fusing the health advantages of running with the objective of planting trees. Visit https://tinyurl.com/Run2Plant to sign up for Run2Plant: Para sa Greener Pinas, and follow One To Tree on Facebook page for updates.

Your all-day sports betting app, ArenaPlus, continues to play a leading role in the local entertainment industry by providing fun and entertainment at the 26th Kadalag-an Festival in Victorias City, Negros Occidental.

The 26th Kadalag-an Festival, which took place from March 21 to 24, 2024, had the full backing of ArenaPlus, a platinum sponsor, in order to provide the Negrenses with top-notch entertainment. The company gave attendees of the festival a number of ways to make the most of their weekend and make lasting memories.

At Sidlak Victorias Global City, ArenaPlus set up an interactive booth where guests could play Roll the Dice and Spin the Wheel for prizes and acquire premium items. Tony Labrusca and Elyson De Dios were also brought in by ArenaPlus to perform for a crowd in order to provide even more fun and excitement. In a similar vein, there were games and prizes for the audience to win on stage.

In addition, ArenaPlus made sure to take part in one of the festival’s main events: the Miss Kadalag-an Queen 2024. The brand joined the coronation night last March 22 and awarded Ammeline Alegarbes, one of the pageant’s overall Top 5 candidates, Php 20,000 for winning the Miss ArenaPlus Kadalag-an Queen 2024 title. Jasper Vicencio, President of ArenaPlus’ personally congratulated Alegarbes as he handed the prize.

ArenaPlus continues to work with local organizers to bring more entertainment to various parts of the Philippines, regardless of how far the event and their communities are from the Metro. This effort extends to Visayas-based celebrations like the 26th Kadalag-an Festival in Negros Occidental, solidifying ArenaPlus’ dedication to developing entertainment all over the country.

Digiplus Interactive Corp. is a leading provider of gaming and leisure services in the nation, and BingoPlus and ArenaPlus are two of its proud flagship brands. Visit www.bingoplus.com and www.arenaplus.net for additional updates, or get the apps right now from Google Play and the App Store.