Team Donaire Champions Bantay Bata!
Before even stepping into the ring for his upcoming title bout, IBF flyweight champion Nonito “The Flash” Donaire Jr. affirmed victory already with his pledged support for the children of Bantay Bata. The champion and 2007 Philippine Sports Awards (PSA) Athlete of the Year provided his support by agreeing to donate part of the proceeds from the sale of his t-shirts to Bantay Bata. This donation, in partnership with official Team Donaire outfitters, Cultured Roots, pledges to give $2 for each shirt sold.
This initiative was engineered by Nonito himself, who maintains a mean punch but a soft heart for disadvantaged children in his homeland, the Philippines. Born in the province of Talibon, Bohol, Nonito grew up in General Santos City underprivileged and at an early age, he found himself selling goods to help augment his family’s meager earnings.
"It definitely was difficult growing up in my village in the Philippines," Nonito was once quoted in an East Side Boxing interview. "My parents moved to America when I was seven. From the time they left and until we rejoined them in the United States, my two brothers, sister and I were raised by our grandparents.
"During those last few years living in that village, we hardly had any food, and what we did have had to be rationed out. But nobody complained. We appreciated what we had. Some people had it a lot worse."
When he was finally able to join his parents in the United States, Nonito, through the encouragement of his father, soon picked up the sport of boxing. It did not take long for Nonito to discover that he enjoyed himself and excelled in the ring. He rapidly went from being an accomplished amateur to today’s budding superstar pro. Having already won titles in both the IBF and IBO, Nonito has achieved much at just the tender age of 25.
But there are far greater things to accomplish, Nonito believes, in areas far beyond the boxing arena. While his professional career takes off, Nonito always keeps the land of his birth and its future generations in mind. Drawing from his childhood experiences, Nonito understands the plight of disadvantaged Filipino kids and hopes that his support of Bantay Bata would begin a wave of change that will help improve the lives of these children.
So as he enters the ring on Nov. 1 to defend his IBF flyweight belt against South African challenger Moruti Mthalane, Nonito will have already scored a victory for his kababayans – with a title that nobody can ever take away: the Children’s Champion.
For more information on Team Donaire and Cultured Roots apparel, and how and where to purchase Team Donaire t-shirts, please visit their websites:
Related Links
 ABS-CBN International
Sagip Kapamilya
Bantay Bata 163
E-Media/Educational (ETV)
Bantay Kalikasan
Bayan Microfinance
BayaniJuan
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