Lina: Sports a tool for progress

MANILA, Philippines - Bert Lina, architect of many successful business empires ranging from freight and cargo forwarding services to the quick service restaurant industry, yesterday revealed one of the secrets to his success - sports.

“When you’re physically fit, you can do almost anything. How can you steer your business or whatever work you are doing if your body is weak?” asked Lina, who admits to golf as the sport that consumes most of his free time.

The man behind the cycling renaissance in the Philippines said that sports is a significant aspect of nation building.

“A healthy citizenry is capable of steering this nation to progress. But it must start in the grassroots. I think all cities and municipalities must expand or increase the number of their playgrounds, so that the youth can engage in sports,” suggested Lina. “As for the sports stadiums, they must be available to the people at all times. Karamihan kasi napapabayaan. Maintaining them must be a priority..”

In 1998, Lina joined the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) via his Laguna Lakers team, which also represented the Philippines in several Asian tournaments such as the Asian Basketball Confederation in 1999 and the Jones Cup in 2000 and 2001, among others.

When the MBA folded in 2002, Lina, via his FedEx firm, bought the franchise of Tanduay in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Now known as Air21, the Lina franchise has endeared itself to PBA fans due to its exciting, run-and-gun type of play.

“Mr. Lina is not your typical PBA owner. Yes, he gets a natural high seeing his team play in the PBA, but what really makes him proud is when his teams, both in the MBA and in the PBA, get to represent the country in several international tournaments, “ said Lito Alvarez, president of Airfreight 2100, Lina’s flagship company. “Basta para sa bayan, you can count Mr. Lina in.”

Only recently, Lina, who revived the fabled tour, through his Padyak Pinoy, was one of the chief proponents of Le Tour de Filipinas, which opened the doors to foreign cyclists to pit their skills against the Philippines’ best.

“We need to do that because we want our cyclists to learn from the best,” said Lina.

Lina, who only last week organized the Alberto D. Lina Golf Cup, now on its 20th staging, and is coming off his third career hole-in-one at the second Phoenix Open at Palos Verdes Golf and Residential Estates, Davao City on March 6 – his first hole-in-one was in China, his second at Ayala Greenfield – has a piece of advice for those willing to be fit, but can’t afford the sport that goes with it.

“If you can’t play golf or any kind of sport for that matter, you can still be physically fit if you make 5,000 to 10,000 steps in one day,” said Lina.