UNTV Cup, the first ever league that brought different government agencies and local celebrities together to play basketball to support charities, will return on February 11 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum for its second season run.

UNTV Cup’s progenitor Kuya Daniel Razon and representatives of participating teams for Season 2 of the league pose for a photo during the kick-off party held at One Esplanade, Pasay City on January 14, 2014. (Russel Brucelas Julio | Photoville International)

This time, more teams are participating according to BMPI-UNTV Chairman and CEO Daniel Razon. Kuya Daniel, a name he is known for by many Filipinos, is the brain and founder of the basketball-charity league.

“UNTV Cup is one of the projects we came up with since we know a lot of people in the government agencies as well as celebrities who are fond of playing basketball. But this time, they’ll be playing for a better cause,” the veteran broadcaster said.

UNTV Cup sees more teams joining on its Season 2 which will start on February 11, 2014. New teams include Senate and Malacanang. (Russel Brucelas Julio | Photoville International)

Throwback: UNTV Cup Season 1

UNTV Cup debuted in July last year with seven teams that played to win the P1-million top prize for their chosen charity.

Players included high-ranking officials from the Department of Justice (DOJ), Team Judiciary, Armed Forces of the Philippines (Team AFP), Philippine National Police (Team PNP), and Philhealth.

Season 1 also saw officials from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) played, along with officials from Congress and Local Government Units under Team Congress/LGUs.

Team Judiciary reigned champion in the first season of the league, and donated its million-peso cash prize to the victims of Bohol earthquake and Mindanao war.

BMPI-UNTV Chairman and CEO Daniel Razon awards the championship trophy and symbolic check worth P1-million to Team Judiciary during the UNTV Cup Season 1 Finals at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum on November 5, 2013.
(Prince Marquez | Photoville International)

First-runner up Team PNP donated its cash prize of P500,000 to the Masonic Charities for Crippled Children.

Throwback: Sing and Shoot
Before becoming a basketball league, UNTV Cup has its roots in the “Sing and Shoot” exhibition game, where public servants and local celebrities took part in the benefit game.

Proceeds from the first two “Sing and Shoot” editions were used to fund the education of hundreds of scholars of La Verdad Christian College in Caloocan branch. 

Free education is just one of the causes that Kuya Daniel has initiated and championed through UNTV that require long-term assistance. Among these causes are the medical health mission, free legal assistance and the free livelihood training courses.

(Written by Carmi Tongol-Anecito)