TAGAYTAY City—Tokyo Olympics medalists Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam and Eumir Felix Marcial are now forever neighbors.
The three boxers received the keys to their respective brand new homes in Barangay San Jose in this cool city overlooking picturesque Taal Volcano from Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Senator Francis Tolentino.
“We’re very, very happy and “we are thankful to Congressman [Abraham] Tolentino,” said Paalam, 23, men’s flyweight silver medalist in Tokyo. “We’re motivated to work harder and persevere more.”
Petecio, also a silver medalist in women’s featherweight, said the house is the best reward from her Olympic success saying her family never had a permanent home before.
“I’m so blessed, very happy. My family is here to witness the turnover ceremony and the blessings,” Petecio said. “We didn’t have a permanent home, so I am very thankful to Congressman Tolentino for providing for us.
Marcial, the men’s middleweight bronze medalist, was beaming all over with his wife Princess.
“To all athletes, I am hoping that they will be very persistent in their trainings and competition because we have leaders who are willing to reward them once they bring home glory to our country,” Marcial said.
The Tolentino brothers personally rewarded the three boxers—including gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz—with their homes. The boxers’ two-bedroom homes with lofts sit on a 120 square meter lot. They are worth a total of close to P10 million.
The Tagaytay City homes are the second for each of the three boxers. They also received houses from the National Housing Authority in their respective hometowns—Zamboanga del Sur for Marcial, Cagayan de Oro for Paalam and Davao del Sur for Petecio.
“To Filipino athletes, do persevere. All hard work have a beautiful ending just like what happened to Hidilyn Diaz and the boxers,” Senator Tolentino, also the kickboxing president, said.
“This is for you,” Rep. Tolentino told the medalists as he and Francis Tolentino presented the symbolic keys to the boxers.
All three are back to training with Paalam returning to the Baguio City training camp along with Petecio. Marcial will also resume his pro career and is expecting his second fight, an eight-rounder this time, in the US in March.
The boxers declared on Friday their intentions to target the gold medal in Paris 2024. If they do, will they again have new homes in Tagaytay City?
“Just do your best. I will announce in 2024,” Tolentino said. “My Christmas wish is for them to be with their families.”