August 28, 2020
Manila – Manulife Philippines and members of well-loved Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) team Barangay Ginebra recently joined forces to hold a free webinar titled “The Champion Within.” It aimed to inspire Filipinos to embrace a winning mindset amid the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Barangay Ginebra’s Tim Cone (PBA coach with the most titles in the league's history), L.A. Tenorio (5-time PBA champion and 3-time PBA Finals Most Valuable Player), and Richard del Rosario (2-time PBA Champion and lead assistant coach) shared their personal stories and struggles, and how they have been able to remain motivated to overcome adversities on and off the basketball court.
“The pandemic has not only brought many of us physical and financial challenges, but has also tested our mental strength and well-being. Through this webinar, we at Manulife hope to help Filipinos learn how they cannot just cope with and recover from our current situation, but even win and achieve their dreams in the next normal,” said Melissa Henson, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer of Manulife Philippines. “We partnered with members of the Barangay Ginebra team, one of the most storied teams in Philippine basketball history, because we believe in the power of sports and its ability to teach us meaningful lessons about dealing with failure and challenges, getting back up again, improving yourself, and collaborating with others. We hope the stories and tips shared by Barangay Ginebra help Filipinos win in the game of life and make every day better.”
At the webinar, Cone shared his learnings from coaching winning teams, including the Philippine National Team in various international sporting events, and inspiring champion performance from each individual player. He emphasized that while everyone wants to succeed, there is a price to pay, and that the journey exacts discipline and accountability. He also highlighted the value of taking extreme ownership – of holding one’s self responsible over one’s life and actions.
"As a coach, I am accountable for all that happens in my team. My role is to make sure that I am clear about our goals and help my players build habits to achieve these,” said Cone. “Leaders need to learn to encourage themselves and the people around them to stay motivated, be consistent, and develop that ‘never say die’ spirit to achieve their goals."
Meanwhile, del Rosario introduced the concept of “porosity.”
“Being porous means being open to change and accepting that these changes will enter your life,” said del Rosario. “There will be a lot of disruptions in your life but what can help you adjust is having the right attitude to deal with these situations. It’s not what happens to you, but what happens in you."
Lastly, Tenorio spoke about the importance of teamwork and respecting others. He believes that even if you feel that you’re already at the top of your game, determination, discipline, and humility still matter.
“As a leader and as a player, it is important to remain humble and see the value of each of our team members, so we can stay focused and motivated on our goals,” said Tenorio.
To deepen insights from members of Barangay Ginebra, Manulife also invited certified life coach Carelle Magaliag-Herrera to share tips on life skills Filipinos can develop to build their resilience amid today’s challenges.
“If you want to be emotionally resilient, you should be physically active and mentally positive. To do this, we should practice creating good stories in order to change our state and create strategies that would lead us to success,” said Magaliag-Herrera. “Also, being more compassionate and kinder to yourself allows you to extend these values to others which creates a positive effect on our well-being.”
To watch the full webinar and learn about upcoming webinars on health, investment and business needs, visit the Manulife: The Champion Within webinar page or follow ManulifePH on Facebook.
About Manulife Philippines
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company opened its doors for business in the Philippines in 1907. Since then, Manulife’s Philippine Branch and later The Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.), Inc. (Manulife Philippines) has grown to become one of the leading life insurance companies in the country. Manulife Philippines is a wholly-owned domestic subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation, among the world’s largest life insurance companies by market capitalization. Learn more about Manulife Philippines by visiting their website www.manulife.com.ph and following them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ManulifePH), Twitter (@ManulifePH), and Instagram (@manulifeph).
About Manulife
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, as well as wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2017, we had about 35,000 employees, 73,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving more than 26 million customers. As of September 30, 2018, we had over $1.1 trillion (US$863 billion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made $27.6 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States where we have served customers for more than 100 years. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.