Kaspersky signs today a memorandum of understanding with the national teams in ice hockey and lawn tennis pledging a financial incentive project for the athletes’ participation in the 30th edition of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Manila this year.

The Philippines will host this year’s SEA Games slated on Nov. 19-Dec. 11 in various venues around the country.

This is the first time Kaspersky is supporting local sports teams in the Philippines by putting up a financial sponsorship. The project is spearheaded by iSecure Networks, one of Kaspersky’s distributors in the country.

The cybersecurity company has been an eager supporter of sports teams since 2011 and among its popular global sports sponsorships include the Scuderia Ferrari, FIDE, and World Chess Championship, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles rugby team of Australia, and the Trans-Antarctic Expedition led by Felicity Ashton, to name a few.

Under the memorandum, Kaspersky is committed to awarding to the Federation of Ice Hockey League and the Philippine Tennis Association the projected P3 million worth of proceeds from the sale of Kaspersky Internet Security 2019 and Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2019 until November this year. It will be turned over to the two groups by the end of the project period, which falls in December 2019.

“We’re very delighted to support these teams which we believe are powerful contenders in their respective tournaments within the 2019 SEA Games,” said Yeo Siang Tiong, general manager, Kaspersky Southeast Asia. “Kaspersky has always been an avid benefactor of achievers in the sports arena who exemplify the same values that we’re also dedicated to — passion for elite performance and tenacity to attain success with speed and high level of strategic thinking.”

The fund will be granted to the national men’s ice hockey team led by team captain and MVP Steven Fuglister as well as to the Philippine tennis team top-billed by women’s singles players Marian Jade Capadocia and Anna Clarice Patrimonio. It is mutually agreed by all parties that the fund will be earmarked for the athletes’ local and overseas training, improvement of facilities, and purchase of needed equipment for their respective sports.

“We’re confident that our selected athletes will make us really proud as they play in the SEA Games in their home court. This is one of the biggest sporting events in the region and our chosen athletes have been working so hard to polish their skills. The incentive is our contribution to help them achieve even more for the country,” said Chris Sy, president and CEO, iSecure Networks.

For their support to the national athletes, customers who will purchase Kaspersky consumer products during the period each stand a chance to win various limited edition Team Pilipinas premium items and cash prizes. Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky Anti-Virus are available in leading IT stores nationwide.