No thanks to the ongoing Middle East war between the US/Israel and Iran, we are now facing a new global oil crisis. Which means escalating fuel prices. And because we’re enduring another struggle, it’s a guaranteed certainty that long-suffering Filipinos will find a way to amuse themselves through it.

One such source of entertainment has been weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, whose epic achievement at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 gave the Philippines its first-ever Olympic gold medal. With the victory came a bonanza of rewards—like cash prizes and brand-new cars. In addition, many consumer companies pledged their desirable products. One of which was Phoenix Petroleum, which presented Diaz with a P5-million cash bounty and—more interestingly—“free fuel for life.”

Because of the skyrocketing fuel prices, it’s understandable why many people would envy the gold medalist’s extremely good fortune. Imagine not having to worry about your gasoline budget for your vehicle.

However, at least according to Diaz’s manager, the promised lifetime fuel was exactly that—a promise.

Naturally, sports fans joined the discussion by bashing Phoenix. They accused the brand of merely riding on Diaz’s success without honoring its word.

But what really happened?

Phoenix released a statement to explain its side. Apparently, the fuel brand was happy to provide what it had pledged.

In March 2022, Ms. Diaz received her second year of fuel donation from us. Upon acknowledging receipt, she was asked if she could share about the donation online. She declined, citing that she recently entered into a contract with another petroleum company. She soon ceased communicating with us. We respected her decision.

We fulfilled our commitments. As with many corporate donations, such arrangements are guided by conditions, including brand alignment. As circumstances changed and Ms. Diaz engaged with another fuel brand, the fuel-donation arrangement could no longer continue under the same terms.

To be fair, we haven’t heard anything from the athlete herself as we write this. Will she verify Phoenix’s statement, or will she corroborate her manager’s narrative?

Or maybe all of this is just the result of one big miscommunication?

LESSON: Reserve your judgment until all sides have been heard.