Philippine Daily Inquirer
More than 13,000 fans recently filled the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila to share a first in the country’s history: the Philippine Azkals claimed a banner 4-0 victory over Sri Lanka, allowing it to have a shot at the second round of the 2014 Fifa World Cup Qualifying series.
This group of young men, whose dreams were anchored on giving pride and honor to the country, only recently shot to fame after putting the Philippines in the World Cup football map.
And just like the native stray dogs it was named after, members of the team admitted that it didn’t come easy for them, as they had to undergo a lot of hardships and face challenges before they were able to live their dreams. It took a while before the team got the support and attention it needed to rally on.
Limited budget
“Before, our budget is limited, we don’t have much time to prepare for competitions, there were no endorsements, allowance and food. We survived because of our love and passion for the sports,” said forward player Ian Araneta.
“It’s very tough. There were ups and downs and there’s no support. One of the reasons we are called Azkals is we look for scraps for food,” shared team captain Ali Borromeo.
Following the group’s recent wins, however, the Azkals are now enjoying their much-needed support.
“It’s the best feeling when you go out, when people are happily embracing football and cheering for the team. I think the country needs more heroes. We don’t want to be an overnight thing. We don’t want to be a fad. We want to keep winning games. We want to keep the fire for football for Pinoys,” Borromeo said.
The road toward the prestigious World Cup however will be fraught with mental and emotional challenges, not to mention physical pains and injuries that can hinder a possible goal or win.
“Being competitive athletes, we’re prone to sores in legs and thighs; pain is all over our body,” noted defender Anton del Rosario.
“As we train every day, we put our body on the line, so we are very prone to body pain and injury,” added goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.
The team know that it would need a medicine that would allow them to effectively and safely combat pain for them to win each game and continue to give honor to the country—a medicine that can provide a quick relief from pain.
Fast, safe, long-lasting relief
As such, the Philippine Azkals had chosen Pharma-Rex Inc.’s Cortal SQR as their official pain reliever because of its promise of fast, safe and long-lasting relief from body pain.
“Our campaign is anchored on the Azkals’ battlecry: ‘We Believe’ which upholds Filipinos’ determination to win. Our own campaign, ‘Sa Cortal SQR, Kaya mo yan’ highlights our countrymen’s resilience against pain and obstacles, hence the birth of the campaign ‘We Believe, Kaya Mo Yan,’” explained Pharma-Rex president Lito Tadena.
The Philippine Azkals, he added, best represent what Cortal SQR wants to tell the public: “We can overcome pain to succeed.”
“And with Cortal SQR’s new advanced formulation combining Ibuprofen and paracetamol, which promises pain relief Asap or ‘alis sakit, alis pain,’ the Azkals are assured of body pain relief in less than 15 minutes, giving them more time to continue training and bigger opportunities to score more goals for the country,” Tadena concluded.
Cortal SQR was acquired from GlaxoSmithKline Philippines by Pharma-Rex Inc., a local pharmaceutical firm that aims to provide affordable quality medicines to Filipinos.
0 Comments
