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Love This Game: They Shoot, The Poor Scores

Front and Center. Kuya Daniel Razon for the ceremonial jump ball of UNTV Cup's pilot game.

In an unprecedented game on the hard court on July 29, 2013, celebrities and public servants from different TV networks and branches of the government, respectively, battled out to win not for their own teams, but for the poor.

Taking them to the Smart-Araneta Coliseum is the UNTV Cup. Shooting from the heart of public service on Philippine Television, UNTV pioneered the event to give Php1M in cash to the winning team's charitable institution of choice. A Php500K prize will also be given to the second-runner up. 

Each team is comprised of public servants with celebrities mixed in. The seven teams competing in the round-robin series include:
  1. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
  2. Congress/ Local Government Units (LGUs)
  3. Department of Justice (DOJ)
  4. Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA)
  5. PhilHealth
  6. Philippine National Police (PNP)
  7. Supreme Court (SC) or Judiciary 
After their presentation before the multitude gathered on a rainy night in The Big Dome, the teams drew lots to see who would play first. In the end, Team AFP and Team DOJ tried to best each other during the pilot game. (Game and results to be aired on Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 3 PM.)

The event's progenitor, Mr. Public Service Kuya Daniel Razon said of the charitable tourney, "Our goal and mission always is public service. UNTV is a public service channel so everything we do is geared towards serving our fellowmen in different ways."

UNTV's prime advocate, Bro. Eli Soriano of the Members Church of God International, on the other hand remarked that the players are going to sweat it out not for themselves, but for the sake of others.

It's a "Christ-like" deed said the international evangelist, furthering that the Lord God, who is heir of everything created and is in Heaven with the Father, took the form of a man and humbled Himself for our sins.

As Kuya Daniel said, "Everything we do is geared towards serving our fellowmen." And with the UNTV Cup, the media network shows just how "love" in this game can go far beyond trick passes, ringless shots, and slam dunks. But all the way to the unsung audience below the poverty line, hoping to get a little more than just awesome play.

(Photo source: www.UNTVweb.com)

Originally posted on Facebook Notes: July 30, 2013

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