Kobe reaches out to GK

by Ma. Rosanna Mina, abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA – Aside from holding a basketball camp and promoting a new shoe model in his recent visit to Manila, Kobe Bryant made it a point to show his support for the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation (GK).

GK is a nation-building movement which engages all sectors of Philippine society, including the government, academe, corporate, non-government organizations, religious, and civil society.

Bryant spent some time with select 17 children from four GK sites on Tuesday at the Nike Park in Bonifacio High Street, The Fort in Taguig City. Manila was the first stop of his Nike Asia Tour 2009.

The program at The Fort began with a video presentation, not of the Los Angeles Lakers star, but of GK. The video showed pictures of kids from the GK SAGIP program.

“Sagip” is a Filipino word which means “to save a life.” Such program aims to lead the way of change for children and give them a chance to live productive lives away from the streets and vices.

“I love it. I love being around kids,” said the “Black Mamba” when he was joined by the children onstage.

Bryant went on to say that it was “fun to see the smile on their faces.” He added, “They are the future.”

The kids got his autograph and had a group picture taken with him. They also gave him a compilation of their cards and messages for him.

Bryant, meantime, presented GK a check worth P100,000. The amount will be used for the GK Child and Youth developmental program, according to GK head of operations Mari Oquiñena.

Dreaming big

GK executive director Luis Oquiñena, the twin of Mari, revealed that there is a children’s program in every GK site. He said there are around 1,700 GK communities nationwide.

Luis added that they were “pleasantly surprised” when they learned that organizers chose GK for this year’s Kobe Asia Tour.

He said it was an honor to be chosen from thousands of organizations because Bryant is a “big star and global celebrity.”

Bryant has always made it a point to support deserving institutions in every tour, spending some time to be with the children and encourage them to keep dreaming big. In the 2007 Supernatural Asia Tour, he met with children from the Eliseo Belen Charity.

Luis, however, pointed out that being chosen by Kobe Asia Tour organizers also posed a challenged for GK.

He said that as GK volunteers are dreaming big to end poverty in the country, the challenge is for them to continue pursuing their dreams for the Philippines.

He cited that Bryant worked hard to achieve his dreams and status in the sports world.

He mentioned that GK also aspires to dream big as it hopes to build dreams for the poor so that the less fortunate can own a house and live in a decent community.

Rare chance

Two of the select kids who met Bryant at The Fort are Aaron Kyle Simbol and Keannu David Arevalo.

Simbol and Arevalo, both aged 11, come from the GK Tatalon site in Quezon City. They remarked that they are very happy with the rare chance of meeting Bryant.

The youngsters agreed that Bryant was a good player (“magaling”). Simbol reasoned that Bryant is a three-pointer as well as a blocker.
For Arevalo, Bryant is good with making lay-ups. “Pagtira ng lay-up, pasok.” He also mentioned that he had dreamed of seeing Bryant in person.

Meanwhile, when asked if Bryant was better than Michael Jordan, the two boys disagreed.

Arevalo said that Jordan is better. “Laging dumadakdak, siya lang gumagawa.” Simbol, for his part, declared that Bryant is better than Jordan.

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It's good Kobe is helping Gawad Kalinga. It is Christianity in action!