MANILA, Philippines — Oil firm Phoenix Petroleum has addressed the renewed discussion about the “free fuel for life” reward linked to Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz, following comments from the athlete’s camp.
The topic recently trended online as rising fuel prices worldwide — partly driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East — prompted netizens to revisit the incentives Diaz received after winning the Philippines’ first-ever Olympic gold medal during the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Diaz’s manager Noel Ferrer earlier clarified that the fuel benefit was not a lifetime privilege, saying the support only lasted two years after the athlete’s victory.
In response, Phoenix Petroleum released a statement on March 12 defending its record of supporting Filipino athletes. The company said Diaz had already been receiving financial assistance from them even before the Tokyo Games.
After her historic win, the company said it awarded Diaz ₱5 million in cash. Other Olympic medalists — boxers Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio, and Eumir Marcial — also received monetary incentives and a year of fuel assistance.
Phoenix explained that Diaz was given a special “free fuel for life” donation in recognition of her historic gold medal.
According to the company, Diaz received her second year of fuel assistance in March 2022. Around that time, Phoenix said it asked the athlete if she could acknowledge the support publicly through her social media accounts.
The company claimed Diaz declined the request because she had already signed an endorsement deal with another petroleum brand. Phoenix said communication with the athlete eventually stopped, and the company chose to respect her decision.
Phoenix maintained that it had fulfilled its commitments, adding that corporate sponsorships are typically tied to brand partnerships. The company said the arrangement could not proceed under the same conditions once Diaz aligned with another fuel brand.
The firm also lamented the resurgence of the issue years after the Olympics and said it was disheartened by what it described as unfair criticism against the company.
Nevertheless, Phoenix emphasized its continued respect for Diaz and reaffirmed its support for Filipino athletes, expressing solidarity with the public amid the current economic challenges.
elamigo/xf
