ANOTHER round of cash bonuses will fall on the laps of the medalists in the recent Jakarta Palembang 18th Asian Games courtesy of President Duterte.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez, who made the announcement in a press conference at the PSC offices in Manila on Wednesday, said President Duterte insisted on the additional bonuses for the medalists in the Games where the Philippines wound up 19th overall with four gold, two silver and 15 bronze medals.
“The President, through Special Assistant to the President Bong Go, told us [PSC] to motivate the athletes more,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez said an additional P1 million will be awarded to a gold medalist, P500,000 to a silver and P200,000 to a bronze.
The extra bonuses are over and above the financial rewards provided for by Republic Act 10699, or the Athletes and Coaches Incentive Act which awards P2 million for a gold, P1 million for a silver and P400,000 for a bronze.
The Siklab Atleta Pilipinas Sports Foundation headed by Presidential Adviser on Sports Dennis Uy has also lined up its own incentives of P1 million for gold, P500,000 for silver and P250,000 for the bronze.
In total, the gold winners will get P7 million, including the incentives from the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Lee Hoong Wee—P2 million and P1 million, respectively, for a gold medal.
With the windfall, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, skateboarder Margielyn Didal and golfer Yuka Saso have become instant millionaires, along with Saso’s teammates Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go.
Kiyomi Watanabe of judo and Rogen Ladon of boxing banked P2.5 million, from the government and private sector for their silver medals.
The bronze medalists, on the other hand, are assured of P1.15-million each. They are Pagdanganan, boxers Eumir Felix Marcial and Carlo Paalam and pencak silat athletes Almohaidib Abad, Jefferson Rhey Loon, Cherry Rose Regalado and Dines Dumaan.
Joining them on the bronze medalists’ list are Janna Dominique Oliva and Pauline Lopez of taekwondo, Agatha Chrystenzen Wong and Divine Wally of wushu, Daniel Caluag of cycling and Meggie Ochoa of ju-jitsu, Junna Tsukii of karatedo.
The men’s poomsae team composed of Jeordan Dominguez, Dustin Jacob Mella and Rodolfo Reyes and their female counterparts Juvenile Faye Crisostomo and Rinna complete the bronze winners.
Duterte is expected to personally hand the checks in a ceremony in Malacañang on September 12.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes