Coaches, athletes to receive P4.4M incentive

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia yesterday announced the release of the third batch of incentives for former athletes and coaches totalling more than P4.4 million as provided by Republic Act 9064 also know as “National Athletes, Coaches and Trainers Incentives and Benefits Act of 2001.”

Among the recipients are Victor Espiritu of cycling, Jose Medina of shooting, Josephine Paguyo of soft tennis and Sampang Hassan of swimming, Ricardo Ancaja of billiards, Johnson Cheng, Nico Valderrama and Vicente Valdez of bowling, Anthony Lopez, Wigberto Clavecilla, Pacifico Brobio, Alice Andrada, Rodolfo Feliciano, Francis Gaston of golf, Lope Yngayo of lawn tennis and Giovanni Mamawal of soft tennis.

“The PSC commends the athletes and coaches who will receive the incentives from Pagcor to honor their competence in their respective sports. They will serve as inspiration to the present crop of athletes and coaches especially now with the forthcoming South East Asian Games on November and the campaign for the 2012 Olympics,” said Garcia.

“We are grateful to Pagcor president Bong Naguiat for the release of the incentives fund. This means that the government is not only supporting our young crop of athletes but also the veterans who in their prime gave honor and glory to the country,” Garcia said.

Based on R. A. 9064, the coaches are entitled to 50 percent of the athletes’ incentives. The first batch of was released by Pagcor and PSC on December 2010 to boxing coaches Boy Velasco, Pat Gaspi, Gregorio Caliwan, Rey and Ricardo Fortaleza and Orlando Tacuyan amounting to more than P2.2 million. 

Included in the second batch which totalled P9.5 million were Sen. Vicente Sotto III, who coached Bong Coo and Lolita Reformado and Angel Nepomuceno, father and coach of Paeng Nepomuceno for bowling.

 In athletics, the late Francisco “Tatang” de Vega, father and coach of Lydia de Vega- Mercado, and George Posadas, coach of Elma Muros-Posadas also led the batch of honorees.