IT may be weird for Dondon Hontiveros to see his former stomping grounds turned into a warehouse for relief goods.
But such is the situation that the Cebuano basketball legend has found himself in and the pro basketball player-turned-politician is doing his best to make a profound impact on the lives of many.
These days, you will still see the 42-year old spending a lot of his time at the historic Cebu Coliseum — the place of many of his early feats and triumphs in the sport — albeit not in the capacity fans have been accustomed to seeing him in.
Rather, Hontiveros, elected as councilor of Cebu City during the last elections, is spending a lot of his time organizing the relief drive for the different barangays in the southern city.
Lest you think Hontiveros is just at the venue barking orders, the fact is he’s actually getting down and dirty with fellow volunteers in repacking goods and transporting them from one place to another.
Hontiveros said seeing the “bayanihan spirit” alive in this crisis somehow strengthens their resolve to work harder in spite of the daunting odds.
“Nakakawala rin ng pagod kapag nakikita mo yung mga tao na tumutulong expecting nothing in return,” said the man more popularly known during his playing days as the “Cebuano Hotshot.”
As tiresome as the job is for everyone, Hontiveros shares he does his part to make it fun and engaging for everybody involved.
“It’s fun and we’re all learning every day. I try to make it fun by trying to get to know everyone or by making it some sort of game. Like trying to see who can load or pack the most,” Hontiveros added.
The former Alaska, San Miguel and Tanduay star in the PBA also expressed his gratitude to the president and owner of his alma mater — the University of Cebu.
“I’m expressing my sincerest gratitude to UC President Atty. Augusto Go, for his selfless concern towards his fellowmen by allowing us to make free use of the Cebu Coliseum for the storing and repacking of relief goods despite our short notice. So far, we have been able to pack 200,000 relief goods and distribute these to different barangays,” shared Hontiveros.
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