Proud moment for Pinoy athletes

PBA player Chris Tiu’s selection as one of this year’s The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardees (there were nine) was a recognition not just of the Rain Or Shine guard but also of the Filipino athlete whom he embodies even as the citation was not for sports but for youth leadership development.

Tiu, 28, is an inspiring role model who never had it easy becoming the star that he is today. He worked hard to bag championships with Xavier in the Tiong Lian tournament, Ateneo in the UAAP seniors and Sinag at the Southeast Asian Games. As a PBA rookie last year, Tiu topped the three-point shootout over the deadly likes of KG Canaleta, Jvee Casio, Marcio Lassiter, Mark Macapagal, Willie Miller, Josh Urbiztondo and James Yap during the All-Star Weekend. Off the court, Tiu is just as inspiring in his efforts to make a difference in the community. He’s involved in businesses that generate employment, in media to share his knowledge and in social activities that benefit the less fortunate.

“Chris epitomizes the athlete role model for the youth that the PBA would like to see each and every one of its players to embrace,” said PBA commissioner Chito Salud. “I congratulate him for his tremendous achievements and thank him for the energy, commitment and passion this recognition will bring to his fellow PBA players as they all contribute their share to youth development.”

Tiu sacrificed the advancement of his pro career by delaying his application for the PBA draft to serve the country with the Gilas national team. When he finally turned pro four years after graduation, Tiu was 27 and made his presence felt immediately as Rain Or Shine barged into the Philippine Cup Finals in his first-ever conference.

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To be named as one of the country’s TOYM is a distinct honor. The award was conceived in 1958 when the Manila Junior Chamber or Jaycees, now Junior Chamber International Manila, decided to “confer recognition on the accomplishments of the nation’s young men and to illustrate the opportunities of young men in a free, democratic society through the exercise of the privileges accorded under a system of free enterprise.” The idea came from businessman Howard Dee who nearly 30 years later would become the Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See and Malta. By the way, PBA player Sean Anthony is Dee’s grandson. Anthony’s mother Angie is the Ambassador’s daughter whose brother Dodo is married to President Aquino’s sister Viel.

  In 1959, the first TOYM awarding ceremonies were held in Baguio City and the six pioneers were sculptor Napoleon Abueva, Dr. Benjamin Belmonte for medicine, Aurelio Estanislao for music, Jose Juliano for science, Lindy Locsin for architecture and Alejandro Roces for journalism. The next year, there were 10 awardees, including Benigno Aquino Jr. (the President’s father) for public service, Flash Elorde for sports, Cirio Santiago for film, Max Soliven for journalism, Oscar Yatco for music and Sixto K. Roxas for economics.

Elorde was the first athlete to be awarded. Since his recognition, 15 more sports heroes have been honored – tennis player Johnny Jose in 1961, car race Dodjie Laurel in 1964, chess grandmaster Eugene Torre in 1974, World Cup champion bowler Paeng Nepomuceno in 1978, world boxing champion Luisito Espinosa in 1989, swimmer Eric Buhain in 1991, two-time Asian Games champion sprinter Lydia de Vega in 1992, two-time Olympic long jumper Elma Muros-Posadas in 1995, Olympic boxing silver medalist Onyok Velasco in 1996, golfer Dorothy Delasin in 2001, world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao in 2004, mountain climbers Romi Garduce and Leo Oracion in 2006, Azkals football striker Chieffy Caligdong in 2012 and Tiu.

Since its inception, the TOYM award has undergone two major eligibility rule changes. First, the age limit for nominees was raised from 35 to 40 and second, female achievers were admitted starting in 1984 although the award remained nominally for “Young Men.” Through the years, the TOYM award has been “a fitting tribute to Junior Chamber International’s immutable tenets of ‘faith in God,’ ‘brotherhood to men,’ ‘economic justice,’ ‘government of law,’ and ‘service to humanity’ (as it) is an encouragement for engagement by all those who can contribute to bring about a better world, now and for the future.”

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Last Dec. 19, this year’s TOYM awardees were honored at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang Palace with President Aquino attending. Tiu was cited for youth leadership development, not sports. The TOYM brochure said while Tiu is well-known as an athlete, a TV personality, a public servant as former Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman and now a Barangay Kagawad and entrepreneur (owner of Happy Lemon, Tampopo and Eric Kayser bakery/café), he was awarded for youth leadership development “because he has channeled his celebrity status to help form values of today’s Filipino youth … he anchors his message on the Latin phrase ‘Contra ventum tibi ambulandum est’ or you need to walk against the wind … in each aspect of his career, he breaks the mold and defies the stereotypes, how many PBA players graduated Management Engineering and Chinese Studies from Ateneo? How many TV stars place educational content ahead of mass market exposure? And how many people view their achievements not as ends in themselves but as a means of being a more effective messenger to the youth?”

The TOYM brochure also noted that Tiu recently organized a foundation called Charis (Greek for grace) which focuses on youth leadership and formation as “he has championed timeless values like hard work, excellence, modesty, humility, honesty, perseverance and sacrifice (while warning) the youth of the culture of relativism and mediocrity.” In Tuesday’s column, Tiu himself relates his experience meeting with President Aquino during the awarding rites at Malacañang and shares his feelings about receiving the TOYM recognition.