By ABAC CORDERO
The Philippine Star
Sports officials need not look far in their search for Filipinos who may help fuel the country’s ambitious campaign in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Forbes Magazine recently published its distinguished list of billionaires from around the world. And for the first time in years, Filipinos were among them – Jaime Zobel de Ayala and Henry Sy who were in the top 350 with identical net worth of $2.6 billion.
The Forbes list did not escape the eyes of Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella, chef-de-mission of the RP delegation to the Beijing Olympics in August.
Forbes also released the list of the 40 wealthiest Filipinos.
"That’s the list where they all come from," said Puentevella of the potential donors to the RP Olympic campaign being spearheaded by President Arroyo and First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.
Puentevella is currently preparing a short list of individuals that may be tapped for the Olympic program expected to cost more than a million dollars.
"It’s not yet complete," said Puentevella of his star-studded wish list. While the families of Zobel de Ayala, Sy and Lucio Tan ($1.6 billion) led the Top 40 list of the wealthiest Filipinos, there were names that ring a bell when it comes to sports.
These include container port magnate and golf patron Enrique Razon Jr. (No. 8 with $820 million), San Miguel big boss and former basketball godfather Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco (No. 13 with $540 million), Philippine Basketball Association team (Alaska Milk) owner and triathlete Wilfred Steven Uytengsu (No. 31 with $60 million), and PLDT/Smart chairman and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan (No. 38 with $35 million).
Pangilinan has already pledged his full support to the Philippine boxing and taekwondo teams not only for the Beijing Olympics but also all the way to the 2012 London Olympics.
"I’m still talking to some of them this week. Give me two weeks to finalize everything," said Puentevella, hoping that those who helped the Filipino athletes during the 2005 Manila SEA Games, will be around once again.
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