Last Friday, Milo Philippines opened the second year of Road to Barcelonam its values-driven program in partnership with globally-renowned football club, FC Barcelona (FCB) a press launch held in the Cebu Parklane International Hotel.
Looking back from last year’s successful run, Milo and FCB held this year’s local invitational camp here in Cebu City, a football hotbed last weekend, September 8-9 at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Over 160 girls and boys ages 10 to 12 from around the country participated in the world-class football camp for a chance to join the life- changing champion experience in Spain, the home of FC Barcelona.
Milo and FC Barcelona believe in the shared HEART values (humility, effort, ambition, respect, and teamwork), equipped with a healthy and active lifestyle that are essential in every child’s overall development. The global partnership aims to bring world-class opportunities to nourish ambitions and build a nation of champions through sports.
Participants of the program were chosen via a nomination from their coaches who vouched for both their character and talent.
Albert Batalla Fernandez and Jordi Aguilar Roca, FCB Youth Academy coaches
Assisting Milo in the facilitation of the invitational camp are the Cebu Football Association (CFA), a regional body under the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and two coaches from the FCB Youth Academy, FC Barcelona’s flagship youth development program.
The two-day training camp featured theoretical and practical sessions on how to play the Barca way was free of charge—a privilege for the qualified young players. It gave them the kind of training that only FCB can offer to aid in their continued development, progress Philippine football, and further inspire Filipinos to be champions on and
off the field.
Cebu City hosts the second MILO-FCB Road to Barcelona Philippines Camp as the partnership once again provides world-class opportunities to more young kids across the country. (From L-R: Robbie De Vera, Milo Consumer Marketing Manager; Albert Batalla Fernandez, FCB Youth Academy Coach; Ethan Jacob Roxas, Milo-FCB 2017 Delegate; Jordi Aguilar Roca, FCB Youth Academy Coach; Nimrod Quinones, Cebu Football Association Board Member; Michael Reyes, Assistant Organizer)
The expert panel composed of PFF representatives and FCB coaches will be in charge in shortlisting the most deserving athletes who will fly to Spain, where one slot in the delegation will be all-expense paid by Milo Philippines.
Similar to its first installment, the 2018 delegation will take part in a nine-day training camp and ultimate experience in FCB’s hallowed grounds in Camp Nou, Barcelona. The Philippine team will be among their peers from other Milo markets which incude Australia, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Jamaica, New Zealand, Panama, Singapore, Tahiti, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Their stay will be filled with special activities that will hone their skills, encourage them to make new friends, explore
scenic heritage locations, most importantly, learn how to play with HEART—the Barca way.
Milo Philippines Consumer Marketing Manager Robbie de Vera
Milo Philippines Consumer Marketing Manager Robbie de Vera shares his excitement for year two of the four-year partnership, “Milo is very excited and honored to continue its advocacy to get more kids into sports and help advance Philippine football with FC Barcelona. Our goal for this year is to further enrich the ‘Road to Barcelona’ experience by reaching more Filipino kids and reinforcing the values that encourage more kids to dream big and become champions in life.”