(Edited Press Release)
“Louie Sangalang, 43, Procurement Consultant. Cancer survivor. Intends to build a legacy for himself and believes that his drive and determination will lead him all the way to the final leg of the competition.”
This was how Pinoy warrior Louie Sangalang was introduced by the international TV show The Apprentice: ONE Championship, wherein 16 warriors from all over the world compete in a game involving business and physical challenges for a chance to become One Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong’s protégé.
Sangalang, born in Baguio City, Philippines, is a cancer survivor, mixed martial arts champion, a Santé Barley TriTeam member, businessman, and a finalist in the recently concluded international reality show The Apprentice: ONE Championship edition.
He raised the Philippine flag in the global scene and proved that a Filipino businessman and professional fighter is a champion inside and outside the ring. This is his journey to becoming the ONE.
The start
“I don’t really know how I was selected to be completely transparent. I think my background in professional sports, business, and professional career helped me get into The Apprentice. Also, my professional sport is mixed martial arts, so it seems relevant to the position they are looking for,” Sangalang started.
The application was made on social media, where hopeful candidates must submit a one-minute video. Doubtful of his social media presence, with merely 2,000 followers on his account, he was greatly supported by his friends, relatives, and colleagues. After their collective effort, things went fast. The production called him last June 2020, became the final contestant in August 2020, and flew to Singapore the following month.
Sangalang had a chance to compete with a fellow Filipina contestant Lara Pearl Alvarez whom he described as a fantastic person at a young age. Although Alvarez was eliminated early from the competition, Sangalang shared that she, a single mother from the highlands of Cordillera, is a very promising leader and businesswoman.
Throughout the season, Sangalang showed his charisma, hard work, integrity, and stable execution of leadership, despite the demanding production schedule, the drama, and corporate politicking.
The last grit and the final interview
After 12 weeks of fierce competition in the pool of hungry contenders, Sangalang was one kick closer to be hailed as THE ONE. Pinoy pride MMA champion Sangalang went head-to-head against Singapore-based Sales Director Ramella from Venezuela.
The two fiery warriors got an opportunity to sit down with Chatri over breakfast to discuss their winning attributes. It was a remarkable moment for him when ONE CEO Chatri labeled him a ‘silent assassin’ for being cool, calm, collected under pressure, and a capable executive.
Before the final round of physical tasks and business challenges, the two were treated to a Zoom call with their loved ones, to which Sangalang recalled that it was his favorite part of the game.
The two challengers fought for the last time through an extreme workout and the final business challenge. In his final lead, Sangalang worked on a project that was close to his heart. Being a cancer survivor, working on LOVE, NILS is a very emotional project for him. LOVE, NILS provides the much-needed psychosocial care to cancer warriors and survivors through their care coordinators, educational support, open art sessions, and pen pal programs.
He failed to emerge victoriously in the last boardroom meeting but went home with so much leadership discipline, integrity, and honor for himself and the country.
“Filipinos can compete on a global level. There’s no other greater feeling when you bring honor not just into yourself, family, but of course, the country regardless of the outcomes of the events I joined, for example, The Apprentice. I’m always super proud to represent the country,” Sangalang proudly said.
Becoming a champion
Life is a battlefield for the 43-year-old Sangalang. He was a champion of his sport and his life. And he was very much honored to share how he wanted the warriors and survivors to see life in the eyes of a champion.
“I had the good opportunity to speak with Mr. Joey Marcelo, CEO of Santé, and I think one of the first times that I spoke with him was during a run. Sir Joey guided me throughout the 21 kilometers, and I had the chance to pick his brains like, you know what your values are, how do you run your business. I never forget that because, at that moment, I knew that Sir Joey started mentoring me. He’s one of the people that I look up to in terms of being the CEO,” he said.
Sangalang also fondly shared that if the Santé CEO joined The Apprentice, he could’ve been one of the Global CEOs in the competition.
And lastly, Sangalang shared his final principle, the mindset of an athlete, to never give up. “Never give up on your dreams, on your goals. Sometimes, we would think that the world is against us, especially when everything is coming all at once, but I encourage people to step away from the situation and compare how small they are to the rest of the world,” he concluded.
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