MANILA, PHILIPPINES, MARCH 2025 – Every year, March marks International Women’s Month, recognized globally as a symbolic celebration of women’s lives and legacies in various fields. This 2025, MILO® stands tall with women who have not only served as significant figures in sports – but have also paved the path for those who dream of becoming champion athletes.
Identified by MILO® as beacons of sports inclusivity, here are ways they’ve helped give back and inspire the country’s champions, no matter who or where in life they came from – and how they’ve used their influence for a greater good.
Sports inclusivity through MILO® partner schools
Hand-in-hand with the 60-year history of MILO® is their enduring relationship with various sports partners, furthering the cause in building the next wave of champions. Often, at the forefront of such partnerships are women committed to broadening sports inclusivity – training athletes from the grassroots level and providing opportunities for them to shine and take flight.
For one, heading the renowned basketball clinic and MILO®-backed BEST Center is Monica Jorge, continuing her father Nic Jorge’s legacy. Under her leadership, the center has trained over 60,000 young athletes in basketball and volleyball, and as a board member of the Small Basketeers of the Philippines, Jorge also advocates for the development of women’s basketball.
Commissioner Bong Coo has also had an illustrious career in and out of sport. Beyond bowling, Coo has always been vocal about her plans to pay it forward, where she vowed to “help develop junior bowlers who could bring honors to the country.” True enough, Coo now works with the Philippine Sports Commission, playing a role in furthering sports excellence in the country.
Mary Joy “MJ” Tabal-Jimenez made history as the first Filipina marathoner to qualify for the Olympics, and a 6-time National MILO® Marathon Queen. Now, she heads Mandaue’s grassroots sports program, sharing, “Our Mandaue City Grassroots Sports Development Program has reached around 400 kids from across 27 barangays of Mandaue. The program is not limited to children aged 12 and below but also involves parents, coaches, youth, and the wider community,” showing her commitment to spreading sports far and wide.
Gathering Champions from all walks of life
There are others, too, who teach sports to a greater community and weave inclusivity at the heart of everything they do. Whether empowering those in far-flung communities, Indigenous Peoples, or Persons with Disabilities, they have had the ability to see athletic potential in every single person and continue to extend the opportunity for sports to serve as one’s teacher in life.
One of them is Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta, the first Filipino to win a Paralympic medal. All these years later, she shares her victories with others, saying, “[I am committed to give] back as part of the national coaching staff for the para powerlifting team. I also advocate for the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities, especially women across diverse communities.”
Alongside the growth of running in the country, Nicole Wuthrich-de la Cruz founded Women’s Run PH in 2023 to provide a venue for women in running and to also serve as a platform for like-minded organizations, such as those that heed to women with disabilities, cancer survivors, and kids with autism. Says Nicole of her advocacy, “One’s transformation serves as a powerful reminder of the impact we can have on individuals. Even then, their growth doesn’t end during our events as their journey transforms not only their perspectives but also their lives.”
Angel Otom is a true testament to the power of perseverance. Born without arms, she has since earned seven gold medals at the ASEAN Para Games and made history as the first Filipina para-swimmer to compete at the Paralympics. Angel’s journey serves not just as a symbol of inclusivity but of grit, discipline, and resilience that define true champions.
Akiko Thomson-Guevara has also etched her place in Philippine history, competing in the Olympics thrice and earning seven gold medals at the 1987 and 1991 SEA Games and now serving as President and National Chairperson of the Special Olympics Pilipinas. Inspired by her experience as a mother of a child with Down syndrome, Akiko is dedicated to showing how every individual has the chance to be a champion in life – with contributions including holding Unified Sports events across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao (with the program serving as a platform for persons with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team), and training coaches and teachers to enhance grassroots inclusion efforts.
Paving the way for the next generation of Champions
Sports is a great teacher not only for the values it instills, but also in how it gathers together those who share the same passion. In this final portion are stories of more figures who, while from different generations, have made their own contributions to sport one way or another – again, prioritizing inclusivity at the core of everything they do for sport.
Former Olympic swimmer turned coach Jenny Guerrero has been key in shaping the future of Philippine sports, having trained over 100 young athletes. Guerrero notes, “With my swimming background and now my coaching experience, I have reached kids in the provinces through swim clinics,” illustrating her commitment to broadening sports access to all – including athletes who have since made their way to the prestigious Palarong Pambansa and Batang Pinoy.
Darlene Berberabe’s story is another example of how champions are built with the help and energy of those around them. Juggling her roles as Dean of the prestigious UP College of Law and mother to 2-time SEA Games kumite gold medalist and academic achiever, Jamie Lim, Berberabe was instrumental in the ups and downs of Jamie’s journey – from encouraging her to never give up to being present in every moment. When asked of her motivation to consistently be by her daughter’s side, she shares, “When one wins, many people share one’s joy; but when one loses, it certainly helps when there is at least that one person who is just with you – who continues to believe in you, win or lose.”
As the first Filipino to win a World Jiu-Jitsu Championship title, Maybelline Masuda is one of today’s leading figures in sport. While she remains an active athlete, she now also splits her time coaching the next generation of champions while also providing support to her daughter, Aielle, a second-generation athlete and youngest world Jiu-Jitsu champion at just 5 years old. Through her coaching and advocacy, Masuda continues to shape the future of the sport, inspiring more athletes to follow in her footsteps.
Chloe Cherish Cheng is a young athlete slowly and steadily making her mark in basketball, showing that young girls can step foot in and excel anywhere they set their hearts and minds to. A champion in and out of sport, Cheng currently serves as a MILO® ambassador and a BEST Center Sports Inc. scholar while being an academic excellence awardee. In opening the door for young girls like her to enjoy more opportunities as athletes, Cheng has surely been an inspiration to young athletes to pursue their dreams through grit and dedication.
As we turn the page to another year, let us be reminded of the inspirational women – from mothers, to sisters, to classmates, to co-athletes, and many more – who have gone beyond their achievements to selflessly and passionately pave the way for those who have come after them. While these personalities may all be individuals of their own, their impact in sports is undeniably exponential, with their marks in sports inclusivity to be felt in the years to come through today’s champions who embody grit, discipline, and teamwork in and out of sport.
MILO® not only serves as a proud partner of local athletes and champions, but is also one in the advocacy of providing sports opportunities for all. To keep updated on upcoming activations and events, be sure to check out the MILO® official website and the MILO® Facebook page.
