NLEX Warriors on road with ‘Dayo’ program

MANILA, Philippines — While waiting for the new PBA season, the NLEX Road Warriors, under new leadership, continue to reach more communities and promote a positive impact beyond basketball with the “Dayo” and “Adopt-a-Court” programs.

NLEX president and general manager J Luigi Bautista emphasized the significance of the Road Warriors as a strong pillar of NLEX Corp. in uniting the northern communities and inspiring the youth through sports.

“Dayo and Adopt-a-Court aim to unite the north and inspire the youth through our team and sports in general. We believe that by bringing the Road Warriors closer to the communities, we can foster a sense of belonging and pride among our fans in North Luzon,” said Bautista.

After the successful launch in Ilocos Norte, the Road Warriors held the second leg of Dayo in Bulacan through a surprise visit on May 29 at the Bulacan University and Collegiate Athletic Association (BUCAA) event at Jesus is Lord Colleges Foundation, Inc.

For the coming PBA Season 49, the Road Warriors hope to hit strides under the seasoned tandem of coach Jong Uichico and team manager Virgil Villavicencio.

After a short stint as assistant, Uichico was elevated to head coaching position in place of Frankie Lim.

“I plan to build on what coach Frankie has instilled as a foundation,” Uichico said. “Then we will go from there.”

Villavicencio, who used to manage TNT and had previous stints as a member of its coaching staff, took over from Larry Fonacier and will handle NLEX’ day-to-day operations from hereon.

“Coach Virgil’s acumen both in running a team and his good relationship with the media will benefit our team moving forward. His management experience and valuable insights will further strengthen the way we run the team,” said Bautista of Villavicencio, who is currently part of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas’ communications team.