After receiving the backing of San Miguel Corporation, the University of Santo Tomas received another major boost to its boys’ and men’s basketball programs by partnering with Cocolife and Dumper Partylist heading into UAAP Season 86.
Cocolife and Dumper Partylist inked a multi-year deal to support the Growling Tigers and Tiger Cubs on Tuesday afternoon at the Cocolife Main Office in Makati.
“Gusto ko pasalamatan yung Cocolife and Dumper Partylist for the trust and confidence na ipinapakita nila samin for bringing this partnership into reality,” expressed UST IPEA Athletics Director Fr. Rodel Cansancio.
“Maraming college and high school basketball programs na pwede nilang supportahan pero they chose UST.”
The leading life insurance company in the country is not new to the basketball scene, having recently supported the Davao Occidental-Cocolife Tigers and the Cocolife Pasig Pirates in the MPBL and PSL, respectively.
Meanwhile, UST will now receive funding from Petron Corporation and the Cocolife-Dumper Partylist tandem to relive hoops glory in Espana.
“In our first of so many partnerships, kami sa Cocolife excited kami, partnering with UST and Dumper na palagi namin kasama… Now with the UST partnership, nakakaexcite naman po kasi alam naman natin na UST is one of the, I don’t wanna say old school eh, but one of the great schools in the Philippines,” said Cocolife Senior Vice Preisdent Joseph Ronquillo.
“For us, napakalaking karangalan po na maging kapartner ninyo sa journey, for now ng basketball team, and sooner sana buong sports activity ng UST.”
Fr. Cansancio and Ronquillo also hinted that Cocolife’s partnership might extend to the University’s other sports programs in the coming years.
The Espana-based squad is known for bagging the most general championships in UAAP history, winning 46 overall titles in the seniors’ division and 22 in the junior level.
“Sabi nga namin na it’s one of the many handshakes na gagawin ng Cocolife and UST… Next time na magkita ulit kami dito ng UST, for other partnership in their other sports programs naman,” shared Ronquillo
“It is a possibility, we’ll see. But so far, we’re very happy already with what we’ve seen. Let’s see.”
Along with Ronquillo, present at the MOA signing were Cocolife company ambassador and Medal of Valor recipient Col. Ariel Querubin, Atty. Alloysius Yebra, Executive Vice President of the Chief Healthcare Division, Chief Communication Officer Atty. Elmore Ornelas, and Vice Presidents Jun De Vicente and Wenggaye Asnan.
Dumper Partylist, meanwhile, was represented by Bhong Baribar from the Office of the Congressman of Claude Bautista.
On UST’s side, Cansancio was accompanied by fellow Athletics Moderator Rodrigo Sambuang Jr; Tiger Cubs head coach and team manager Manu Inigo and Jarvis Co; Tiger Cubs assistant team managers Ding Magadia and Joey Protacio; Tiger Cubs assistant coaches Noli Mejos, VL Sandalo, and Andy Mejos, along with multiple student-athletes from UST’s boys’ basketball squad. (Ernest Martin Tuazon)
