A long-time supporter of Philippine sports is again lending its hand when the country’s top sports achievers are honored in simple but formal ceremony set next month.

The Coca-Cola Company has agreed to be the major presentor of the 2009 Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Annual Awards Night on March 1 at the Manila Hotel.

The country’s leading beverage company has been a known exponent of local sports, dating back to its highly popular Coke Go-For-Goal program, all the way to its current involvement as one of the top franchises in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Only last year, the firm, through one of its products, Powerade, bankrolled the training and participation of the RP men’s basketball team to different international tournaments, including the FIBA-Asia Championship that served as qualifier to the 2010 World Basketball Championship, with Coca-Cola PBA Board of Governors member JB Baylon acting as team manager.

A member of Powerade team-backed Nationals is Barangay Ginebra’s JayJay Helterbrand, the reigning PBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) who will be bestowed with a major award in basketball by the country’s sportswriting fraternity during the event also presented by Smart, Pacific Online System Corporation, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Harbour Centre, and PCSO.

Other than Helterbrand, also to be honored with a major award are trackster Arniel Ferreira, billiards stars Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante, chess player Wesley So, golfers Elmer Salvador and Chihiro Ikeda and cyclist Joel Calderon.

Boxing champions Annie Albania, Brian Viloria, Donnie Nietes, Nonito Donaire Jr., Marvin Sonsona and Rodel Mayol are recipients too, of major award together with judoka John Baylon, netters Cecil Mamiit and Francis Casey Alcantara, jockey Jesus B. Guce and champion horse Don Enrico.

The country’s oldest media organization composed of editors and sportswriters from the different national broadsheets and tabloids has named ladies Rubilen Amit (billiards), Marestella Torres (athletics) and the poomsae team of Cecille Alarilla, Janice Lagman and Rani Ann Ortega (taekwondo) as the recipients of the Athletes of the Year award.

Sharing the spotlight with the five women is boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, who will be conferred with the Athlete of the Decade plum.

Invited as special guest of honor during the program is President Macapagal Arroyo.

Other personalities and entities to be feted include the 38 gold medal winners during the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos (Special Award) and the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (NSA of the Year).