President hands P9.6-million bonus to Asiad achievers

MANILA, Philippines - Christmas comes early for the national athletes who won medals in last week’s Asian Games in Guangzhou, China as they are set to receive their corresponding incentives under the government’s Republic Act 9064 or the Athletes and Coaches Incentives Act tomorrow.

President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is expected to personally hand out the monetary rewards to the medal winners headed by gold medalists Biboy Rivera of bowling, Dennis Orcollo of billiards and Rey Saludar of boxing in a luncheon rites at the Badminton Hall of the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

A Mass will also be celebrated before the ceremonies.

Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia said the PSC would dole out a total of P9.5 million in incentives, including P6.4 million to the athletes while their respective coaches will receive a total P3.1 million.

The Philippines finished 19 in the last quadrennial meet, finishing with three golds, four silvers and nine bronzes.

As stipulated in RA 9064, Rivera, Orcollo and Saludar will each receive P1 million while silver medalists Warren Kiamco of billiards, Miguel Luis Tabuena of golf and Annie Albania of boxing will get P500,000 each.

Grandmasters Wesley So, Joey Antonio, Eugene Torre, John Paul Gomez and Darwin Laylo will each receive P200,000 for winning the silver medal in the chess team standard competition.

Bronze medal winners Frederick Ong of bowling, wushu’s Mark Eddiva, taekwondo’s Tshomlee Go, John Paul Lizardo, Paul Romero and Kristie Elaine Alora and boxer Victorio Saludar III will get P100,000 each.

Dancesports’ Carlea Lagaras and Ronnie Steeve Vergara will also receive P100,000 each for teaming up in their two bronze medal feat in the Latin Cha-cha-cha and Latin Paso Doble events.

Roel Velasco, a former Barcelona Olympics bronze medalist and now coach of the boxing team, will receive a total of P800,000 in incentives, including P500,000 for the gold medal feat of the elder Saludar, P250,000 for the silver of Albania and P50,000 for the bronze of the younger Saludar.

Josephine Canare will get P500,000 as coach of Rivera while Raul Samson and Dindo Simpao will receive P100,000 each for taekwondo’s four bronze medals.

Carlos de Leon will get P50,000 as coach of Ong while Tansuitong Candelaria will receive P50,000 for the wushu bronze.

The boxers have actually received a separate incentive package Tuesday from boxing chief Manny Pangilinan with Rey Saludar receiving a whopping P3 million bonus. Albania and Victorio Saludat got P1 million and P500,000, respectively.