Villanueva selling Olympic medal for P1 million

Anthony Villanueva, the country's first Olympic silver medalist, is down and almost out. He makes a small living as a boxing trainer in Gabriel (Bebot) Elorde's stable but it hardly puts enough food on the table.

So Villanueva, 54, is selling his Olympic medal for $26,000 or roughly P1 Million. He hopes to use the money to start a new life.

Villanueva lost to Stanislav Stepashkin on a highly-disputed split decision in the featherweight finals at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He went on to post a forgettable 4-3 record as a pro then migrated to the US in 1976.

Life in the US wasn't easy. Villanueva worked as a cook in a Mexican restaurant in Massachusetts, as a security guard at the St. Vincent Medical Center in Staten Island and the Philippine Embassy in New York, and taught boxing in private gyms. He returned to Manila in 1988 and was part of the Philippine coaching staff at the Seoul Olympics. But without a guaranteed steady income, he went back to the US.

Villanueva picked up a P200,000 prize from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) as a reward for his 1964 feat last year. He says it took four visits to the PSC office before his check was finally issued.

Villanueva says he's not envious of Onyok Velasco who won the country's only other Olympic silver medal in 1996 but wonders why he's not as revered. Velasco receives a P7,000 lifetime monthly pension from the PSC -- Villanueva gets nothing.

"Iba ako kay Onyok," he says. "Hindi ko pa siya natatagpuan. Bakit siya lang ang nakakuha ng malaking biyaya? Ako rin may silver medal. Hindi siya nakatikim ng dugo sa laban. Noong lumaban ako sa Tokyo, wala kaming headgear at sugat-sugat ang aking mukha. Walang comparison kami ni Onyok."

Villanueva's parents are now both deceased. His father Cely, a 1936 Olympic bronze medalist, died in 1983 watching the Sugar Ray Leonard-Roberto Duran fight on TV. His mother Flora died at the age of 84 in the US a few weeks ago.

Villanueva's willing to coach the Philippine team bound for the Sydney Olympics, even for free. "Gagawin ko `yon for the love of boxing, even without pay," he says. "Hindi kailangan ang Cuban coach. "Wala naman tayong Cuban coach in 1964. Ang kailangan natin ay isang long-term plan to develop future medalists -- walang kwenta yung imported na coach."

Frustrated by broken promises from politicians, Villanueva is running out of options on whom to turn to. "Sikat ka kung nakikita ka," he says. "Si Mayor Lito Atienza, nagkita kami minsan. Sabi niya, tutulong siya at ipatatawag ako. Hanggang ngayon, wala pa siyang tawag."

Villanueva's only hope is President Estrada, his co-star in the 1966 film "Salonga Brothers." The movie also starred Annabelle Huggins.

Villanueva acted in five films, including "Pamatay Kaliwa't Kanan" with Vilma Valera, "Fighting Fists" with Roberto Gonzales, and "Ang Berdugo at ang Kamao." He was paid from P2,000 to P7,000 a movie - "hulugan pa."

Villanueva's amateur license was revoked by then Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) President Gene Puyat for appearing in movies. "Ayaw ni Tito Gene ako mag-pro, sabi niya huwag din akong lumabas sa sine," he recalls. "But my father wanted me to make movies, sayang daw yung kwarta, kaya napilitan si Tito Gene na tanggalin yung aking amateur license at napilitan na rin ako mag-pro."

Villanueva says his heart was never in the pro game.

A few weeks ago, Villanueva suffered what seemed to be a mild stroke. His tongue receded and his speech is now somewhat slurred. He says his high blood pressure probably caused it.

Villanueva has two grown children -- Avery, 29, and Agatha, 27. He also has a son Jose, 14, and a six-month-old boy Joey. Villanueva lives in an apartment in Kamuning.

Villanueva plans to go back to the US next month and fix his citizenship papers. Then he'll return here, possibly for good, to operate a gym called "Fit For Life" for businessman Sonny Uy in Mandaluyong and give private boxing lessons.

Villanueva calls himself the forgotten Olympic silver medalist.

"Hindi naman ako siguro makakalimutan ni Presidente Erap," he says wistfully