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A few months back, and up until 31 May 2009, adidas Philippines had a very attractive sales promo: Wanted Old Shoes. Shoppers were given a ₱500 to ₱1,000 discount on adidas purchases, provided they brought in a pair of old sports shoes for donation. adidas was able to collect thousands of pairs via 100+ participating stores nationwide.

These shoes were donated recently to the Pamulaan Center for Indigenous Peoples’ Education in Mintal, Davao City. In simple rites but in a festive setting, adidas executives, led by Country Manager Nolet Puno, turned over the shoes to the students of Pamulaan. All who study at Pamulaan are children of indigenous peoples from all over the country.

adidas assets graced the event, among them Purefoods cagers, Enrico Villanueva and Peter Jun Simon, who hails from Davao City.

Pamulaan, the first of its kind in Asia, is established in the Mintal campus of the University of South Eastern Philippines, which is about half an hour’s drive from downtown Davao City. At present, there are about 100 students taking up courses in education, agriculture and anthropology. At the turnover ceremony, students from various cultural minorities honored their guests with traditional dances: Manobo, Matigsalog, Mangyan, Ifugao, Teburay, and others.

The students, as well as everyone else in attendance, were treated to the antics of VJ Drei of MYX and the presence of TV idol Rayver Cruz, both of whom are also adidas assets. I’m sure that for both parties — the Pamulaan family and the adidas entourage — it was a first-of-a-kind encounter.

adidas chose Pamulaan as sole beneficiary of their corporate social responsibility project, according to Jillian Panganiban of adidas Philippines, because of the center’s uniqueness and worthy objectives. Pamulaan (from the Matigsalog word for ’seedbed’) is currently home to about 31 different indigenous peoples groups from all over the archipelago.

In his acceptance speech, Pamulaan founder Benjamin Abadiano stressed that this generous donation from adidas will benefit thousands of cultural minority students, a lot of whom walk to school across great distances. Pamulaan is based in Davao City, but extends its helping hands to indigenous peoples all over the country.

Davao-based bloggers were invited to the occasion, held last 19 June 2009 at the USEP campus. I’m glad that the PR agency hired by adidas, Primetime Creatives, made sure to get members of the Mindanao Bloggers Community involved. For one, we bloggers are now aware of Pamulaan and its highly-commendable activities.

In behalf of my fellow bloggers, I’d like to extend sincere greetings of congratulations to adidas Philippines for the very charitable contribution it has made to our indigenous peoples.

Here are photos of the event, courtesy of Chattee Lara.

Copyright © 2009, Oliver Robillo.
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