PRESIDENTIAL son William Vincent “Vinny” Araneta Marcos exuded pride and confidence as he led the ceremonial launch of the country’s first-time and solo hosting of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2025 on Tuesday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
“We’re proud and confident of hosting the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2025,” said the 27-year-old youngest son of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in the ceremony held during the break between the opening-day matches of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Men’s Week 3 at the Pasay City arena.
Marcos chairs the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the world championship set September 12 to 28 both at the MOA Arena and the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Volleyball World CEO Finn Taylor formally turned over the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2025 ceremonial ball to Marcos and to LOC co-chairs Senators Allan Peter Cayetano and Pia Cayetano, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann.
Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Ramon “Tats” Suzara, as LOC president and CEO, mastered the ceremony which was also graced by Asian Volleyball Confederation president Rita Sibowo and Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano.
Witnessing the event were top officials of Volleyball World and VNL and FIVB who are overseeing the country’s third-time hosting of the VNL.
“The ball is now very much in play for the country’s hosting of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2025,” Suzara said.
“Dozens of activities are lined up ahead of the hosting of the world’s most prestigious and important volleyball tournament.”
“We will be a sports tourism powerhouse,” said Cayetano, also PNVF’s chairman emeritus.
PBBM sends off Team Philippines to Paris Olympics
NO less than President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will send off members of the Paris Olympics-bound Team Philippines on Friday (June 21) night at the Marble Hall of the Ayuntamiento de Manila in Intramuros.
Sports have been closed to President Marcos’s heart as he conveys his passion and enthusiasm on the Filipino athletes’ participation in the most important global sporting event that will happen during his administration.
Expected to join President Marcos in the ceremony managed by official Philippine Olympics broadcaster Cignal TV are Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and members of the POC board, qualified Filipino athletes to the Paris Games and members of the Philippine Sports Commission Board led by chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann and national sports association officials.
Philippine Olympian Association head Gillian Akiko Thomson-Guevara will also grace the ceremony which is staged on the eve of the departure of several members of Team Philippines to their pre-Olympics training facility in Metz, France, where they will conduct their final preparations for the July 26 to August 11 Games Paris is hosting for the second time in a century.
A Holy Mass will usher in the ceremony which will be highlighted by the turnover of the country’s colors from the PSC to President Marcos and to Tolentino that will also be witnessed by Cignal TV and MediaQuest president and CEO Jane Basas and Cignal TV First Vice President and Head Channel Management and Programming Sienna Olaso.
Tolentino will also present to President Marcos the official training and competition apparel from Peak and adidas, while Team Philippines sponsors Cignal TV, Smart, adidas, Peak, celebrated designer Francis Libiran, Samsung, Aice, Delsey, Les Arenes Metz and Olympic Solidarity will be acknowledged.
Cignal TV will also present Team Philippines Paris Olympics song “Isang Daang Taong Laban Para Sa Bayan,” which is themed around the country’s 100 years of participation in the Olympics which, interestinglym, coincides with Paris hosting anew the quadrennial global sports conclave.