Metro Manila, Philippines – As the prices of oil continue to rise due to the conflict between Israel, United States, and Iran, social media users brought up the free lifetime gas offered by Phoenix Petroleum to Hidilyn Diaz following her historic win in the Tokyo Olympics back in 2021.
Diaz captured the country’s first Olympic gold after ruling the women’s 55kg category in weightlifting.
Different brands committed huge cash bonuses and incentives to Diaz after her golden run, and the lifetime supply of fuel might be the most important thing among her prizes as pointed out by the netizens right now.
Noel Ferrer, Diaz’s manager, clarified that Hidilyn received the fuel prize for only two years after her victory.
“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 the people had in mind,” he said in a statement posted on his Instagram account on Thursday, March 12.
Ferrer lamented the unfulfilled promise.
“Sadly, this is also symptomatic of how we regard athletes who are no longer in the limelight even when they continue to contribute to sports and to the country,” he said
Phoenix Petroleum reacts
On the other hand, Phoenix Petroleum on Thursday clarified that its supposed “free fuel for life” incentive for Diaz ended after the athlete declined to share about the donation online in March 2022, the second year of the fuel donation.
The company cited that Diaz had entered a contract with another oil firm and since has ceased communications.
“We fulfilled our commitments. 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,” it said in a statement posted on Facebook.
The oil company expressed disappointment on the statements of Diaz’s manager and said the matter could have been settled privately.
Chim Cantos contributed to this report.
