I believe in doing what must be done, especially when the world is no longer watching. In my career, I do the things I know I need to do for the Filipino people – it’s the same with sports.
Going from adversity to advocacy is a journey that Kim Flores, currently serving as one of the Philippine Red Cross’ National Field Representative in Research and Development, has lived for most of his life. Growing up in the streets of Manila, he was a young witness to the everyday difficulties of life – but it was also in these struggles that he learned to develop the determination to succeed and the drive to be an inspiration to others.
A young Kim’s curiosity was piqued after a chance encounter watching a nearby varsity team training. It was from there that he attended – and passed – his first tryout, and the rest, as they say, was history. From a young age, sports served as the bridge for Kim toward education as part of the track and field varsity at the University of Santo Tomas in high school and University of the Philippines Dilman, respectively; as well as his pathway toward being a better and stronger athlete. Drinking MILO® also wasn’t amiss from his regular routine, with Kim sharing how it was his drink of choice in giving him energy on the field, whether training or competing.
While Kim constantly impressed his teammates, coaches, and co-students alike with his natural skills and speed on the track, bumps on the road continued to be potential barriers whether physically or mentally. Aside from a nagging lower back injury which sat him out from his final UAAP season, everyday limitations threatened to hurt his motivation and potential. He recalls memories such as crying alone on campus and having to be extremely strict with his daily allowance as regular occurrences that he had to go through in his athlete journey.
But for Kim, perspective is everything. While he could have easily felt discouraged by what life threw at him, he quickly saw it as mere challenges that can be overcome with discipline and hard work.
“Lahat ng naranasan ko, parte sila ng mga pagtitiis na kinailangan kong tahakin sa mga gusto kong goals. Ang goal ko kasi talaga noon ay magkaroon ng scholarship. Susunod, ang ma-inspire ang mga tao sa paligid ko. ‘Yung mga hirap na pinagdaanan ko noon, inisip ko na lang na kailangan kong maranasan ang mga iyon para hindi ako basta-basta susuko,” he shares.
It is also in these hardships that Kim developed the values of empathy and teamwork. He determinedly shares that despite his sport requiring individual performances, he was aware that everything he would be doing in and out of the track would directly affect his teammates – thereby pushing him to do his best in every performance. Being an athlete also enabled, and continues to enable, Kim to achieve one of his biggest motivators: the opportunity to inspire others.
Nowadays, Kim continues to live out his advocacy of being people-first with his work with the Philippine Red Cross. Now dedicating his own life to saving others, he was driven to start his career with the organization after witnessing lives being endangered during the pandemic. He likens his experience with the Philippine Red Cross to his journey as an athlete, stating, “In sports, we face difficult changes. But in stepping back, we get to ask ourselves, What is right? What should be done? It’s similar to what we do in saving lives. It’s hard to predict where we’ll be assigned, who we’ll help, or what we will be required to do – but it’s saving lives that grounds us and keeps us rooted in our mission.”
Whether a champion in the field or in crucial situations, one can always find Kim performing with grit, discipline, and heart, and a continuously strong desire to make a difference in the lives of all. In the same way he lifted himself out of hardship, so does he intend to do so for everyone around him.
