SEA Games medallists receive P13-M incentives

Government fulfilled its promise to the heroes of the Vietnam 22nd Southeast Asian Games by releasing cash incentives totaling close to P13 million to the medal winners two days before Christmas.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Eric Buhain, on behalf of President Arroyo and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, led the distribution of the cash incentives during the commission’s Christmas Party Tuesday.

Wushu’s Willy Wang, for winning two gold and clinching one silver individual medals in the games staged Dec. 5 to 13 in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, went home with the biggest cash incentive of P250,000.

Another wushu bet, Arvin Ting, and wrestling’s Marcus Valda, who each bagged two gold medals, were rewarded P200,000 each, while Mark Paragua, who figured in two team gold medals and one individual gold medal in chess, got P180,000.

"Definitely, it is a very bright and merry Christmas for our athletes," said Buhain. "Our gratitude to the President and the First Gentleman, the medallists in the SEA Games got their cash bonuses in time for Christmas."

The President and the First Gentleman promised the athletes during last Friday’s courtesy call and victory party in Malacañang that the cash incentives would be distributed before Christmas Day.

Pagcor chair Efraim Genuino, then promptly released the incentives.

Meanwhile, the athletes get to watch the most-awaited F4 concert at the Philsports Multi-purpose Arena today as special guests of the popular Taiwanese boy band.

which totaled P19.9 million broken down into P5.175 million for the 48 gold medals won, P2.7 million for the 54 silvers clinched and P.8 million for the 75 bronze medals bagged.

An individual gold medalist in the Sea Games gets P100,000 for each gold, a silver medal winner earns P50,000 and a bronze medalist P10,000. For team (five or more members) medals, it is P200,000 for a gold, P100,000 for a silver and P20,000 for a bronze.

The coaches of the medalists also were given cash incentives totaling some P4.3 million.

The Philippines, with the 48-54-75 tally-finished fourth overall in Vietnam, with the hosts grabbing about a third of the gold medals at stake to emerge overall champion with 158-97-91. Thailand was second with 90-93-98 and Indonesia third with 55-68-98. Malaysia was shoved to fifth with 44-42-59.

The enthusiasm of government to give what is due the athletes, according to Buhain, only proves the support President Arroyo and the First Gentleman have for the athletes.

Atty. Arroyo, through his First Gentleman Foundation‚s Medalyang Ginto May Laban Tayo program, also got the private sector involved in the training and preparation of the athletes and raised more than P22 million.