VP athletes salute frontliners anew in commemoration of Labor Day

Athletes continue to come together for the frontliners who are risking their lives in the fight against dreaded coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In commemoration of Labor Day, local sporting personalities under the Virtual Playground management paid tribute to the medical and service workers through a music video of “Fly High”, an original composition of award-winning songwriter and accomplished director Joven Tan.

“Sports superstars from Basketball, Volleyball, MMA and other sports unite as one team in showing our modern-day heroes their gratitude for their services and encourage them to continue the fight against COVID-19,” Virtual Playground said in a statement.

“The song ‘Fly High’ aims to inspire all of us not to surrender during this trying times instead to work hand in hand in achieving our goal to defeat the virus.”

In the four-minute video, past and present PBA stars Jimmy Alapag, James Yap, Ranidel De Ocampo, Chris Ross, Sol Mercado, and Chris Newsome, as well as up-and-coming basketball athletes Ricci Rivero, CJ Cansino, Thomas Torres, Andrei Caracut, and Christiana Dimaunahan, expressed their gratitude to the frontliners.

“To all the mighty frontliners, you guys are the true champions,” Alapag, who serves as head coach of Alab Pilipinas, exclaimed.

Other decorated athletes also showered those in charge of containing the disease with adulation. These include volleyball stalwarts John Vic de Guzman, Mika Reyes, Mela Tunay, Jema Galanza, Kat Tolentino, and Alfred Valbuena, alongside taekwondo star Pauline Lopez, water polo player Aljon Salonga, obstacle course racer Rochelle Suarez, and MMA champions Brandon Vera and Mark Striegl.

“Always remember, you lead and we believe,” Tolentino said.

Lopez then chimed in, “Stronger, we fight. Together, we fly high!”

The music video also shone some of the spotlights to several players who extended a helping hand to those in need amid these trying times.

Countless other athletes then participated in the video tribute, saluting the frontliners and rallying the country in their own way.

As how Dimaunahan best encapsulate it:

“Isang pamilya tayo, walang iwanan!”