Para kay San Miguel Corporation (SMC) President at CEO Ramon S. Ang, ang tagumpay ng Gilas Pilipinas noong nakaraang taon ay utang ng bansa sa nagbuo ng national basketball team ng bansa, si Manny V. Pangilinan, na mas kilala bilang MVP.
“That (2023 Asian Games) gold medal was the result of the hard work and effort of not just the players and coaching staff, but most especially, MVP himself. The Gilas Pilipinas program is really his brainchild, and without his vision, commitment, and patriotism to see the program through all these years, we probably would not have a champion Gilas team,” ani SMC President Ramon S. Ang.
Si Pangilinan ang Chairman, President at CEO ng Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) at Chairman Emeritus ng Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).
Kapwa pinarangalan sina Ang at Pangilinan bilang Executive of the Year sa Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night nitong Enero 29.
Nagtulungan sina Ang at Pangilinan sa pagho-host ng bansa sa 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup at sa 2023 Asian Games sa Hangzhou, China, kung saan nakamit ng Gilas Pilipinas ang gintong medalya sa unang pagkakataon sa nakalipas na 61 taon.