House and lot bonanza for Paris Games medalists

MANILA, Philippines —  Just like Tokyo Olympics golden girl Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, the Filipino athlete bringing home the bacon in the coming Paris Olympiad stands to gain a house and lot bonanza.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino bared this during yesterday’s launch of the POC-Cignal TV partnership dubbed “Isang Daang Taon Laban Para sa Bayan: Celebrating 100 Years of Filipino Excellence in the Olympics.”

“Nagawa namin nung Tokyo, nagawa ko personally, we gave four house and lots so bakit hindi ko magagawa ngayon?” said Tolentino.

The POC chief and Tagaytay mayor rewarded Diaz-Naranjo with a house and lot after delivering the country’s breakthrough Olympic gold in the previous Games.  He extended this incentive to boxing silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam as well as boxing bronze earner Eumir Marcial.

The Tokyo achievers’ homes are located in Tagaytay in a place aptly named “Olympic Village.”

Making up the Philippine contingent to Paris are pole-vaulter EJ Obiena, boxers Marcial, Petecio and Aira Villegas, weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, Elreen Ando and John Fabuar Ceniza and gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan, who booked tickets via “direct qualification.”

Another lifter, Rosegie Ramos, is “technically qualified” per Tolentino while swimmers Kyla Sanchez and Jarrod Hatch are going via universality rule.