IN another feather to her cap, Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Hidylin Diaz-Naranjo was recently named among eight local celebrities and groups in various fields as goodwill ambassadors of Jollibee’s “Bida Best, Bida Pinoy” campaign in celebration of Filipino excellence on the global stage.
Diaz-Naranjo, who achieved the country’s golden Olympic breakthrough in weightlifting in the Tokyo capital four years ago, was in the distinguished list of achievers presented by the country’s fast food giant in colorful rites recently at the Whitespace hall in Makati.
She joined the illustrious roster of Jollibee boosters that also included 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, 2024 Paris Summer Games gymnastics double gold medalist Carlos Edriel Obiena, fellow Paris Olympian and pole vault ace Ernest John Obiena, astrophysicist Dr. Reina Reyes, celebrated toy designer Quiccs Maiquez, former Mobile Legends Bangbang world champion Sibol, the national esports squad, and UPeeps, the recent world hiphop champion.
“Hindi lang ito tungkol sa pagka-panalo ko ng medalya, ito ay para sa lahat ng mga Pilpino. Kaya natin maging world-class sa kahit anong sports,” noted Diaz-Naranjo of her phenomenal journey as the Philippine Olympic queen, who was billed as “Bida sa Puso” in the campaign’s promotional video.
“Ang bida sa lahat ay ang pagtulong sa kapwa, pagiging inspirasyon sa kabataan, at pagmamahal sa bayan. Whatever your passion is, don’t let anyone tell you ‘hindi mo kaya,’” stressed the athlete, who also bagged a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“This is our tribute to the many Filipinos who, just like Jollibee, have risen from humble beginnings to global success. We want to shine a spotlight on their achievements, because when we celebrate their stories, we celebrate the very best of what it means to be Filipino—resilient, passionate, joyful, and world-class,” said Dorothy Dee-Ching, Jollibee vice president and marketing chief, during the campaign’s launch.
