MCGI Drums Up Support for UNTV Basketball Cup’s Season 2

The Members Church of God International (MCGI) is rallying up support for the forthcoming second season of UNTV Cup, the Public Service Channel’s basketball league where cash prizes are donated to charities. 

Bro. Daniel Razon, the Vice-Presiding Minister to MCGI, recently called on Church members and visitors to support the basketball tournament, which will bring in new participating government agencies and new public service innovations.

UNTV Cup, the only basketball game enjoining celebrities and government agencies for public service, opens another exciting and philanthropic season on February 11, 2014 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

New Teams, Bigger Public Service Innovation

Recently, UNTV introduced two new teams who are joining the coming edition of the tournament. The participation of Team Malacañan and Team Senate are welcome additions to the basketball league.

“We are very happy [to join this time] because we have watched and followed [the first season] on a weekly basis,” Major Paul Yamamoto said during the league’s kick-off celebration last January 14.

“It is basketball for a cause. This is a good motivation for our players – you are enjoying and playing while helping,” added Yamamoto, who will be acting as leader of Team Malacañan.

Meanwhile, Team Senate revealed that their line-up would include Senators Sonny Angara, Bam Aquino and Alan Cayetano. Atty. Dacsil is the leader of the team.

Teams Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Justice (DOJ), Metropolitan Metro Development Authority (MMDA), PhilHealth, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Congress, Local Government Unit (LGU) and Judiciary, the league’s defending champion, complete the UNTV Cup’s competing groups this season.

A Vehicle for Heightened Public Service

Apart from new players and teams, the fans and followers of UNTV Cup Season 2 can look forward to the heightened public service that the league will offer.

Kuya Daniel announced that the participating government agencies would put up booths that will serve as public service desks. These booths will be opened every game and help answer and provide assistance to people seeking help.

“If you have a complaint to PhilHealth, you can go the PhilHealth booth, if you have a complaint to PNP, you can go the PNP booth … they will have representatives and you can directly ask them,” the veteran broadcaster remarked during the season’s kick-off affair.

PNP will accommodate police clearance processing through its booth.

In the same occasion, Kuya Daniel recalled the origin of the basketball league. “I am fond of playing basketball since I was a kid. Now that I am older, I thought that we should not only play this game, [but] we should use this [basketball] as a vehicle for public service.”

In spite of being a competitive game, Kuya Daniel reminded that it is the intent of helping people that serves as UNTV Cup’s foundation.

“We are partners in public service. We are partners in serving our countrymen,” Kuya Daniel emphasized.

(Written by Emmy Borromeo)