PH team libero Ricky Marcos keeps busy, in shape riding bike for food delivery biz

National team, NU libero earning extra income while keeping his body in shape in his native Imus
Jul 1, 2020

NATIONAL University libero Ricky Marcos will not be digging and receiving volleyball in this time of the Coronavirus pandemic. For now, he is delivering food around Imus, Cavite using a bicycle.

It was supposed to be a busy year for Marcos as he was eyeing to help the Bulldogs for a historic three-peat in his final UAAP season. He is also expected to represent the Philippine men’s volleyball team anew in Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) men’s tournaments and play for Sta. Elena in the Spikers’ Turf.

All that was wiped out by the current health crisis. He was also stranded in NU-Calamba along with other athletes for three months during Luzon’s Enhanced Community Quarantine and his allowances from NU and Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. were delayed and reduced to half.

The 23-year-old libero understands the situation and he is still grateful receiving his allowances during these trying times.

But the Imus, Cavite native wanted to do something this General Community Quarantine to earn extra income and keep his body in shape.

That’s why Marcos decided to team up with his NU teammate Fauzi Ismail and girlfriend Micah Joy Datul, who have a food delivery service called Dee Frozen Products selling samgyupsal meat, side dishes, and electric grills as well as desserts like leche flan, yema cake, graham float, and brazo de mercedes.

“Nasa bahay ako wala akong ginagawa naisip ko si kuya Fauzi and then yung jowa niya nago-online seller sila and then sabi ko try ko nga kasi wala akong ginagawa at the same time nakakapaworkout ako ayun nagbabike ako and kumikita din ako,” Marcos told SPIN.ph.

His inspiration? Japanese fencer Ryo Miyake, who has been working as Tokyo UberEats delivery biker as a way to cope with the postponement of 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“Nainspire kasi ako may nabasa ako na (article) sa Japan yung isang fencing player doon na Olympian nagde-deliver siya ng food and then na-inspire ako,” he said.

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“Ginagawa ko lang to para makapagwork out ako kasi may dadating pang mga games like SEA Games next year. May mga Asian club tournaments pa na nasuspend. Kung titigil lang ako sa bahay is baka umaba yung katawan ko, hindi ako makokondisyon.”

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Marcos chose to team up with his long-time teammate, who has been supplying and delivering their products in Sampaloc, Manila, because he wanted to satisfy the samgyupsal cravings of his fellow Imuseños.

“Kasi parang mas patok ngayon sa atin mas lalo na sa young generations sa mga millenials sikat na sikat na yung samgyup. So ginagawa naman namin is may grill kami para yung samgyup is dadalhin na sainyo. Miss na rin ng mga tao yung samgyup sobrang nagke-crave na rin sila,” Marcos said.

The multi-awarded libero is accepting orders from his Facebook and delivering in places nearby his house at least twice a week. When he started last June, he used to borrow his uncle’s bike for delivery but few weeks later, he was part of the 100 national athletes who received a free bike from Philippine Olympic Commitee.

Despite the crisis, this kind of simple business has been keeping the national team libero blessed and strong mentally, emotionally and physically.

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“Sobrang malaking tulong yung pagba-bike kasi yung endurance din ng katawan natin mas lalo na ngayon sa pandemic medyo marami raming sports na ang pinapayagan isa na rin yung pagba-bike. Kasi kailangan nakakapag-work out ka para malakas yung immune system mo,” Marcos said. “Ang laking tulong na (makaiwas) ako sa virus at hindi madapuan at the same time yung kundisyon ng katawan ko tuloy-tuloy.”

“Sa business isa pa yun kasi 'di ba nakakatulong na sa akin, nakakuha na ako ng income sa business, nakakapag-work out pa ako sobrang malaking tulong tapos nakakapagbigay pa ako ng inspiration parang ganun so nakakatuwa,” he added.

Marcos admitted that delivering to other places is risky with Imus having 19 active COVID patients out of 79 total positive cases in the city as of its last update in June 23.

But he always makes sure to keep himself sanitized and updated with the news, observe social distancing, and when his customer’s location is not feasible, he will just send it through booking other delivery services.

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“Medyo natatakot pa din naman ako pero syempre always nagi-ingat after paguwi ng bahay maglilinis ng katawan mas maganda nagiingat na lang,” Marcos said.

“Kasi kailangan disiplinado rin yung tao kasi ikaw na yung hahawak ng sarili mo, sa kaligtasan mo.”

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    Marcos won’t be able to play in front of volleyball fans at least for now, but he still has to impress people not through his floor defense but through the products he’s been delivering.

    “Satisfied din yung mga tao yun yung pinaka importante sa business syempre hindi na ako athlete, syempre nagtitinda na ako ng desserts and samgyup so yung taste nung tao, yung tao naman kalaban mo hindi na player,” Marcos said.

    “Sobrang nagugulat sila, naiinspire din sila kasi yung katulad ko daw national team na ako tapos di ko na daw kailangan magbenta. Sabi ko sa ngayon kasi hindi mo na maiisip yan, kailangan mo na kumita rin ng sariling income para sa family din and then at the same time nakakapagworkout ka,” he added.

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    But time will come volleyball will return and Marcos will be able to complete his unfinished business inside the court, just like his fellow athletes.

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