Quality, not price, seals it for Everlast

Everlast, the official outfitter of Team Philippines in the 24th Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, yesterday assured the RP contingent of top quality uniforms, including track suits and shoes, bags, socks, caps and towels, which the national athletes and officials will use for the Dec. 6-16 meet.

“We came in the bidding with a belief that we could provide our national athletes with the best quality uniforms,” Jun Jun Plana, managing director of Everlast Philippines, said.

Plana, a former member of the national golf team, was reacting to a high-ranking official of the Philippine Olympic Committee who had earlier charged another official of the Olympic body of influencing the outcome of the bidding.

The boxing shoes, equipment and apparel company bested competitors Grant and Accel, the official outfitter of RP during the 2005 Manila SEAG.

Plana stressed that Everlast clinched the Philippine Sports Commission deal because of the quality of its product and not the price.

“It’s not just about the price. I believe the PSC based its decision on quality since all the materials that we will use are imported,” he said.

Everlast, a New York-based company who has come out with other sports apparel and shoes outside of the boxing gear, will provide all 800 athletes, coaches and officials with track suit, a round-neck shirt, shirt with collar, duffle bag, two pairs of socks, a pair of track shoes, a cap and a towel worth P8,500 per set. – Joey Villar