Hidilyn Diaz's "Lifetime Free Fuel" Lasted Only 2 Years — Phoenix Petroleum Fires Back

Remember when Hidilyn Diaz won the Philippines’ first-ever Olympic gold medal in 2021 and companies were tripping over themselves to shower her with rewards? One of those pledges was “lifetime free fuel” from Dennis Uy’s Phoenix Petroleum. Well, according to Hidilyn’s longtime manager Noel Ferrer, that “lifetime” turned out to be just two years.

Ferrer resurfaced the issue in a Facebook post amid the current fuel price crisis hitting Filipinos hard. “Parang drawing naman po ang lifetime…” he wrote, noting that while Diaz did receive fuel support, it was only for the first two years after her Tokyo Olympics triumph — not the lifetime supply that was publicly announced back in 2021.

“Phoenix Petroleum made the promise public in 2021. The lifetime fuel incentive was their announcement, their commitment — not hearsay. In the press release, there were no conditions whatsoever; it was presented purely as an incentive,” Ferrer said. He added that the situation is “symptomatic of how we regard athletes who are no longer in the limelight.”

Phoenix Petroleum wasn’t having it, though. In a statement released Thursday, the company claimed that after Diaz received her second year of fuel in March 2022, she declined to post about it because she had entered into a contract with another petroleum company. “She soon ceased communicating with us. We respected her decision,” Phoenix said, adding that the arrangement couldn’t continue under the same terms once she “engaged with another fuel brand.”

The back-and-forth has Filipinos fired up online, especially with fuel prices at record highs. Many are siding with Hidilyn, pointing out that a public promise of “lifetime fuel” shouldn’t come with hidden conditions. Others say the full story has two sides. Either way, it’s a reminder that when it comes to corporate pledges, the fine print matters — especially when our national heroes are involved.

Source: GMA News