In a bold move to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, NLEX Corporation launched its inaugural NLEX-SCTEX-NLEX Connector Women’s Basketball Clinic in partnership with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP). The event marks the first of its kind, with 60 female high school varsity players from six schools across Valenzuela, Navotas, Bulacan, and Pampanga participating.

The clinic is part of NLEX’s ongoing commitment to youth development through sports, which began in 2014 with the NLEX Basketboys CSR Program. This year, the company expanded its efforts to support United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 5, which focuses on gender equality. By creating spaces for young women to thrive in the traditionally male-dominated sport of basketball, NLEX hopes to inspire future generations of female athletes.

“NLEX is committed to being a catalyst for positive change, whether in infrastructure, technology, or community growth. By promoting gender equality in sports, we are taking steps to break down barriers and create equal opportunities for all,” said J. Luigi L. Bautista, NLEX Corporation President and General Manager.

The basketball clinic, held at Gen. T De Leon National High School, featured top mentors like Gilas Pilipinas Women’s Basketball Team Head Coach Patrick Aquino, Women’s 3×3 Team Manager Larry Fonacier, and SBP Coaches Mark Solano and Hazel Yambot. Players from the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s team, including Andrea Tongco, Monique Del Carmen, Janine Pontejos, Chack Cabinbin, and Afril Bernardino, also led sessions on dribbling, passing, defense, and shooting, helping the participants elevate their game.

“This training goes beyond skills development. It teaches the values of teamwork and camaraderie, preparing these young women to become better athletes, both in skill and character,” said Fonacier.

Participants embraced the opportunity with enthusiasm. Renalyn Castro, a student from A.F.G Bernardino Memorial Trade School, shared, “I enjoyed the flow of the training. The coaches were calm and supportive, which made learning easier. Thank you for giving us this chance to improve.”

In addition to the basketball clinic, NLEX Corporation has other initiatives focused on empowering women. Its flagship program, Paglago at Pag-unlad ng Pamayanan (PUNLA), equips women-led organizations with the tools they need to grow their businesses. The company also launched the BRAVE (Barangay Responders and Advocates of Violence-free Environment) program in July, teaching young women emergency preparedness and basic self-defense, with Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Meggie Ochoa leading the sessions.

NLEX Corporation, a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), continues to champion inclusivity and empowerment through initiatives that go beyond its core infrastructure services.