Committed to help the youth develop their basketball skills in a fun and inspiring environment, the NLEX Corporation kicked off its 2023 NLEX-SCTEX Basketboys clinic and tournament in Bulacan last July 15.
A total of 120 kids aged 13 to 16, from 12 NLEX-SCTEX host communities are participating in this year’s clinic and tournament.
The annual sports program focuses on teaching the youth fundamental drills to enhance their basketball skills and, at the same time, improve social skills and develop camaraderie with their co-participants.
Joining the 2023 Basketboys clinic and tournament are host communities in Caloocan, Valenzuela, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Bataan.
“We’d like to be part of the development of these kids’ talent through our Basketboys, a CSR program aimed at fostering health and fitness among the youth in our host communities. We hope that through this program, the kids will be able to bring the discipline and values they will learn wherever they go, whether on court or on the road,” said NLEX Corporation President J. Luigi L. Bautista.
Aside from the opportunity to develop their basketball skills and to maybe become a professional athlete in the future, NLEX used the occasion to encourage the youth to be advocates of road safety through its Kaligtasan sa Daan (KalSaDa) program.
Launched in 2013, Basketboys and KalSaDa are two of the road safety programs held by NLEX to engage the youth in order to stem the increasing number of safety-related incidents along the expressway that often involve minors.
NLEX Road Warriors (NRW) basketball camp director Ford Arao and assistant coach Emman Monfort, together with NRW players Anthony Semerad, Kris Rosales, Michael Miranda, and Asi Taulava conducted the basketball clinic that allowed the participants to learn various techniques and skills from the professionals. Players from the Ateneo Blue Eaglets Juniors Basketball team were also present during the launching ceremony to encourage and inspire the participants.
“It is important that we teach the youth not just moves and skills on the court, but also the values and discipline a good athlete should possess,” said NLEX Road Warriors basketball camp director, Ford Arao.
Barangay Bulaon captain Lavernie Gopez of City of San Fernando, Pampanga, agreed the basketball clinic will definitely help in the development of the youth’s values, adding that, “Kailangan ng mga kabataan ito upang maiwasan nila ang bisyo at masamang gawain.”
NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll road arm of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC).
