Naglabas ng pahayag ang Phoenix Petroleum Philippines matapos maging laman ng usap-usapan sa apat na sulok ng bansa ang naunsiyaming "free fuel for life" para kay Tokyo 2020 Olympics gold medalist na si Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo.
Naungkat ang ipinangakong "incentive" ng Phoenix sa weightlifter dahil sa pagtaas ng presyo ng mga produktong petrolyo matapos giyerahin ng pinagsanib na puwersa ng Amerika at Israel ang Iran.
Isa sa mga nakuhang regalo ni Hidilyn noong nanalo siya sa 2020 Olympics ay ang "lifetime free fuel."
Binalikan ng netizens ang mga nagbigay ng perks at gifts kay Hidilyn noon, at isa sa mga ito ay ang Phoenix Petroleum.
Sa ulat sa official website ng Phoenix noong August 2021, nakasaad na in-award kay Hidilyn ang "free fuel for life and a Php 5 million cash incentive."
Bahagi ng ulat: "For giving the Philippines its first-ever gold medal, Phoenix awarded Diaz with free fuel for life and a Php 5 million cash incentive."
Ilang netizens ang nagsimyento na sana ay sila na lang si Hidilyn na hindi na poproblemahin ang pagtaas ng petrolyo.
May naglabas pa ng meme na si Hidilyn na ang "pinakamasuwerteng tao."
Pero nabulgar na natigil na ang incentive na ito kay Hidilyn.
Read: Hidilyn Diaz's cash incentive PHP55M na; free-for-life perks, ang haba ng listahan!
Sa ulat ng PEP Troika sa PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) kahapon, March 11, 2016, naglabas ng pahayag ang manager ni Hidilyn na si Noel Ferrer.
Pinabulaanan niya ang espekulasyong hanggang ngayon ay may free fuel incentive si Hidilyn mula sa isang di pinangalanang oil company.
Ayon sa statement ng manager ni Hidilyn na si Noel Ferrer sa column nito sa PEP Troika: "Naku! Sanaol talaga. Medyo naiiling na lang ako.
"Si Haidie ay tumatahimik na lang at idinadaan na lang sa punchline. Pero drawing naman talaga ang lifetime na fuel supply.
"Ang tanong tuloy ng iba, kaninong lifetime ba ang tinutukoy nila?
"Idinadaan na lang sa comedy ang lahat, pero OK na OK talaga kung seseryosohin ang pagbibitaw at pagtupad sa salita."
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Sa hiwalay na eksklusibong pahayag sa SPIN.ph, nanindigan si Ferrer na "lifetime fuel incentive" ang "commitment" ng Phoenix mula umpisa.
Nilinaw rin niyang walang kaakibat na anumang kondisyon ang kusang donation ng Phoenix kay Hidilyn.
Pero dalawang taon lamang at hindi raw lifetime ang ibinigay ng kumpanya sa alaga ni Ferrer.
Sabi ni Ferrer sa SPIN.ph: "Phoenix Petroleum made the promise public in 2021 when Hidilyn won the country’s first ever Gold Medal in the Olympics.
"The lifetime fuel incentive was their announcement, their commitment—not hearsay. There were no conditions whatsoever; it was presented purely as an incentive.
"Netizens resurfaced it recently. Hidilyn told me that she received fuel support for the first two years after her win.
"Thanks, but to be accurate, it wasn’t for a lifetime. I’m not sure whose lifetime they had in mind."
PHOENIX PETROLEUM RELEASES OFFICIAL STATEMENT
Magkaiba ang pananaw ng kampo ni Hidilyn at ng Phoenix Petroleum sa "free fuel for life" donation ng kumpanya.
Sa official statement sa Facebook ngayong araw, Huwebes, March 12, 2026, iginiit ng Phoenix Petroleum na tinupad umano ng kumpanya ang "commitment" nito kay Hidilyn.
Una ay ipinaliwanag ng Phoenix na mataas daw ang pagtingin at pagpapahalaga nila sa mga atleta ng bansa, at kabilang si Hidilyn sa mga atletang sinuportahan ng kumpanya bago pa ito nagwagi ng Olympic gold medal noong 2021.
"As early as 2018, we organized donation drives in support of our athletes' pursuit of the country's first Olympic gold medal.
"In 2019, when Hidilyn Diaz was still striving toward that dream, we responded to her call for support, and provided her with an allowance."
Taong 2021 ginanap ang 2020 Olympics pagkatapos ng pandemya, at dito nagtagumpay si Hidilyn na masungkit ang kauna-unahang gintong medalya ng Pilipinas.
"In 2021, Hidilyn, the very athlete we chose to support, fulfilled our goal of winning the first Olympic gold medal for the country.
"Hence, we were honored to turn over our cash donation of Php 5 million to her, Php 3 million each to silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio, and Php 1 million to bronze medalist Eumir Marcial.
"We also immediately provided them with their first year of fuel donations.
"As the sole gold medalist, Hidilyn Diaz was awarded with the 'free fuel for life' donation, while the rest enjoyed their respective allocations for a limited time."
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PHOENIX PETROLEUM explains why the incentive stopped
Ibinunyag ng kumpanya na dalawang taong nabigyan ng libreng petrolyo si Hidilyn.
Hanggang sa nagkaroon umano ng isyu sa pagitan ni Hidilyn at ng Phoenix noong 2022.
"In March 2022, Ms. Diaz received her second year of fuel donation from us.
"Upon acknowledging receipt, she was asked if she could share about the donation online, she declined, citing that she recently entered into a contract with another petroleum company.
"She soon ceased communicating with us.
"We respected her decision. We fulfilled our commitments."
Ayon pa rin sa Phoenix, ang ibinigay na "free fuel for life donation" para kay Hidilyn ay may mga kaakibat na kondisyon.
Taliwas ito sa pahayag ni Ferrer.
Taliwas din ito sa opinyon ng ibang netizens na nagkokomento sa Facebook page ng Phoenix na ang "donation" o "incentive" ay ibinibigay nang walang kapalit.
Hindi naman daw kasi "endorsement" ang agreement sa pagitan ng dalawang partido.
Depensa ng Phoenix: "As with many corporate donations, such arrangements are guided by conditions, including brand alignment.
"As circumstances changed and Ms. Diaz engaged with another fuel brand, the fuel donation arrangement could no longer continue under the same terms."
Lumalabas na nahinto ang lifetime fuel donation ng Phoenix dahil sa pag-endorso ni Hidilyn ng ibang petroleum company.
Hindi naman malinaw kung pagkatapos tumanggi ni Hidilyn ay naiparating ng Phoenix kay Hidilyn ang desisyon nitong void na ang incentive o donation at huling beses na nitong magbibigay ng free fuel sa atleta para sa taong 2022.
Ngayong 2026 at naungkat ang tungkol sa "free fuel for life" donation ng Phoenix Petroleum kay Hidilyn, hindi raw maintindihan ng kumpanya ang "misleading narratives and unfair criticism" na natatamo nito mula sa netizens.
"It is, therefore, puzzling that, five years later, this matter has resurfaced online amid discussions about rising fuel prices, leading to misleading narratives and unfair criticism directed at Phoenix Petroleum.
"Despite the support we extended in good faith, the company is being unjustly vilified."
Napag-usapan daw sana ito nang maayos kung nakipag-ugnayan ang kampo ni Hidilyn sa Phoenix.
"We are also disappointed that this matter was raised publicly by her manager before any direct communication or clarification with us.
"Had they reached out first, it could have been clarified privately and amicably.
"Phoenix Petroleum remains proud of the role we played in supporting our athletes during an important chapter of their journey.
"Lastly, our respect for Hidilyn Diaz and all Filipino athletes remains steadfast, and we are one with Filipinos in enduring the current difficulties we all face."
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NETIZENS' REACTION
Samu't saring opinyon naman ang mababasa sa post mula sa netizens.
Merong may pabor sa pahayag at nagsabing tama nga namang itigil na dahil pumirma si Hidilyn sa kalabang oil company.
Sabi ng isa: "Ohhh kaya naman pala may contract na sya sa ibang petroleum company."
Komento ng isa pa: "Ano to? May Plot Twist pala!"
Pahayag ng isa (published as is): "Well It could be Part of the Condition during the signing of the Document's of 'Donation';
"Remember that donor can impose conditions, charges, or limitations on a donation before giving it, resulting in a conditional or modal donation.
"If the 'donee' fails to comply with these conditions, the donor can revoke the donation. (Basahin nyo ang Article 764 of the Civil Code of the Philippines / RA 386)
"aside from the 'Free Fuel Issue', Phoenix Already transferred the P5 million pesos reward it pledge upon her when she won her Olympic medal, So Phoenix did their part accordingly, the issue is now on the opposite side itself."
Meron din namang kinontra ang pahayag ng Phoenix.
Saad ng isa (published as is): "As with many corporate donations, such arrangements are guided by conditions, including brand alignment." wait, whut??? so your 'donation' basically requires her to be an endorser for life? that doesn't sound fair at all."
Ayon sa isa pa: "Dapat ba ang sinabi ng company 'Free Fuel for Life with terms and condition applies'?"
Dagdag ng isa pa: "So the 'free' fuel for life is conditional and she needs to be a brand ambassador... it's not free then.."
Nananatiling bukas ang PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) sa panig ng mga personalidad na nabanggit sa artikulong ito.
Additional text by Rachelle Siazon