Villar to offer incentives for SEAG medalists

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Manny Villar has thrown his full support to Philippine billiards and snooker teams competing in the this year’s 25th Southeast Asian Games in Vientienne, Laos.

Villar, the sport’s chief benefactor, is providing additional cash incentives to every gold, silver and bronze medal in the biennial meet slated in December.

“This is to further motivate my players to give their best in the SEA Games,” said Villar, whose nationwide Villar Cup has become a major training ground for the country’s top and upcoming players.

“This is my little way of helping our country succeed in the SEA Games,” Villar said.

Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) president Vic Rodriguez said that he has yet to discuss with Villar the amount of incentives but disclosed that it will be an “improvement from what RA 9064 lawfully prescribes.”

Under Republic Act 9064, otherwise known as the “National Athletes, Coaches and Trainers Benefits and Incentives Act of 2001” or “Sports Benefits and Incentives Act of 2001”, the SEA Games gold medal winner will receive P100,000, while the silver and bronze medalists are entitled to P50,000 and P10,000, respectively.

With the support of Villar, the BMPAP is confident that the team will improve the two-gold, two-silver and four-bronze medal haul by the RP bets in the last SEAG in Thailand.

Pool legend Efren “Bata” Reyes will play in the SEA Games for the first time since 2003 as he will lead the star-studded cast, which includes Francisco “Django” Bustamante, fellow former world champions Ronnie Alcano and Alex Pagulayan, former world No.1 Dennis Orcollo, Lee Van Corteza, Ramil Gallego, Roberto Gomez, Gandy Valle, Warren Kiamco, Rodolfo Luat, Reynaldo Grandea and Benjie Guevarra.