With running events here left and right, Pharamaton unleashes a unique yet challenging competition with the best athletes in the country, going around the country!
Dubbed “The Pharmaton MVP Unleashed Challenge,” the competition took flight on March 5, 2011 and will last for 30 arduous days spanning the entire Philippines. The challengers will need to accomplish various activities that will challenge them daily both physically and mentally as they traverse the country.
The Pharmaton MVP Unleashed Challenge is the first of its kind and emerges as the most unique of all endurance races the nation has seen. For one, it’s a month-long race where not only physical power and endurance are put to the test, but also the participants’ ability to strategize and maintain focus. All in all, the participants are not just competing against each other but also competing against themselves as they strive to unleash their very best.
Secondly, the Pharmaton MVP Unleashed Challenge is awarding the biggest prize money among local races: P500,000 awaits the ultimate MVP of the challenge while the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th placers will receive P250,000, P150,000, P100,000 and P50,000, respectively.
Out of the hopefuls who submitted their applications to vie for the challenge, five were singled out to make up the challengers who will try to endure and outlast each other in a one-of-a-kind race. They are Anthony Cuerpo, TJ Isla, Benson Martinez, Popo Remigio and Monica Torres.
A restaurateur by profession, Anthony Cuerpo has made sports a part of his life since his childhood but parted with it for a while after schooling. A native of Iligan City, Cuerpo admitted that he became a heavy smoker prior to reigniting his love for competitive sports. He found out that he was allergic to cigarettes when he was taking a cooking course in the US. He went cold turkey and eventually prevailed in his battle against nicotine. Though being the oldest among the finalists, he is very confident that he can still beat competitors half his age. After all, he has been through several adventure races where endurance, which he considers as his strength, plays a vital role in the competition. He is currently overseeing a food business together with his wife who, incidentally, has also got bitten by the sports bug. Further, Cuerpo considers the Pharmaton MVP Unleashed Challenge as the biggest race he will be participating in to date, and hopes to finish each leg of the race under his best time possible. He is into soccer, swimming, trail running, billiards, baseball, and trail and road biking.
TJ Isla comes into the competition with a string of experiences gained from competitions here and abroad. According to his blog, he is “a human resources practitioner and an overstaying graduate student of the UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations.” His interests reflect his passion for the outdoors – he’s into adventure racing, mountaineering, rock climbing, surfing, and, of course, marathon. When not in competition mode, Isla loves to relax and spend his time with his wife and their pet dogs. His dream is to qualify in the Ironman World Championship.
Benson Martinez, on the other hand, is a full-time dentist who will be running the race for his good friend and mentor Miguel Lopez, whom he replaced in the competition due to an accident. He considers being in the outdoors as a passion which he eventually fulfilled when he joined a professional mountaineering club in the mid-90s. Over the years, Benson has scaled the country’s tallest and toughest mountains. Reaching a summit gives him a different high, as it allows him to commune with nature and appreciate God’s creation. It also allowed him to give dental services to remote areas in the Philippines.
Apart from mountain climbing, Benson is also into joining triathlons and adventure races, and has participated in a number of competitions here and abroad. For him, the key to winning any competition lies on one’s dedication, patience and perseverance – three values that he will surely fuel him to the finish line in the month-long challenge.
One of the two women in the race, Popo Remigio sets her eye on winning the Pharmaton challenge “para sa mga nanay.” She is a full-time mom and fitness instructor whose mettle in outdoor challenges cannot be easily ignored.
A graduate from the University of the Philippines College of Human Kinetics, Remigio also teaches swimming and indoor cycling. She is not intimidated competing with men because, according to her, nothing could be worse than the pain of giving birth to a child.
Completing the five finalists is Monica Torres, whose stunning looks hides a strength that even seasoned male athletes are wary of. She has participated in several running events in and out of the country.
Another alumna of the UP College of Human Kinetics, Torres considers herself as a late bloomer in the field of sports. It was only in 2008 when she became a dedicated athlete and prior to that, she was working as a personal trainor. Once she turned pro, Torres became part of the duathlon national team. She is married for three years now to an equally athletic man, a triathlete to be exact. They actually met through the sport and, believe it or not, lost both their wedding rings while participating on a race. But what really binds them together is their love for sports and the adventure that goes along with every race.
With their impressive track record in outdoor sports as their passports to the Pharmaton MVP Unleashed Challenge, all participants are very excited about the prospect of racing for 30 days throughout the Philippines. Aside from the fact that it will be the first for all of them to race under this format, the challenge of braving unpredictable elements and various terrains makes the race even more tricky. Although they are excited to see the beauty of the country in all its 2,795 km distance, they all agree that the race will definitely push their abilities to the limits, physically and mentally.
We actually got a chance the meet the contenders face to face and they are really a fun batch because even though the challenge is difficult, they seem to be very bubbly and game with all of the challenges. I don't have my pick but I am eying for one boy and one girl. I wish them good luck on their journey!
Unleashing the MVP within
In preparing for what they consider as the “ultimate challenge,” all five participants maintain their respective training schedules focusing on endurance building and harnessing their own weak points. They also benefit from Pharmaton’s unique Ginseng G115, which is proven to energize both mind and body.
This standardized formulation of the natural ginseng extract is proven to provide extra energy, reduce tiredness, improve one’s memory, and heighten alertness and mental clarity. Regular intake of Pharmaton, which is the only product formulated with Ginseng G115, helps the body cope with fatigue, thus improving one’s physical and mental capabilities.
Be part of the challenge!
In line with the MVP Unleashed Challenge winner, Pharmaton extends the competition among its consumers through the MVP Unleashed Home Buddy Promo. From February 1, Pharmaton users have the chance to win cash by simply rooting for any of the five Pharmaton MVP Unleashed Challenge contenders.
- To join, just buy four capsules of Pharmaton from your favourite drugstore outlet. On a piece of paper, write your name, address, contact number, email address, affix your signature, and the name of your bet from the Pharmaton MVP Unleashed Challenge.
- Attach the official receipt of your purchase with your entry, place it in a white legal envelope, and mail it to Accord-Pharmaton, 3F Praxedes Bldg., #5 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City 1600. The last day for the submission of entries in on April 15, 2011.
- 50 consolation prizes of P50,000 each will be drawn from the entries while four winners from Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will each get P250,000. The grand draw will be held on April 25, 2011.
The Pharmaton MVP Unleashed Challenge highlights Pharmaton’s commitment to elevate its consumers’ overall wellbeing. It also hopes to inspire more people to life their lives to the fullest through a balance of physical aptitude and mental sharpness.
Asked in a recent interview on his choice of Robert and Reese, Lawrence enthuses -“Reese was the first person I cast in the film and she was a great creative partner in the early days when we were putting this project together. I think she is a fantastic actress. She has a timeless beauty, she loves animals and has no fear of trying anything. Also the character Marlena in our film is a bit tough and hardened. She isn’t a victim and Reese is tough. She is very strong.” 
