MVP: We never doubted for a second

MANILA, Philippines — “We never doubted for a second.”

This was the message relayed by Filipino businessman and avid sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan yesterday following gymnast Carlos Yulo’s magnificence in the Paris Olympics where he recently hauled a historic two gold medals in the French capital.

The man popularly called MVP congratulated Yulo himself yesterday via video call using the phone of Philippine Rowing Association president Pato Gregorio and in the presence of Gymnastics Association of the Philippines chief Cynthia Carrion.

Pangilinan also said it started with the MVP Sports Foundation Gymnastics Center he helped start in Intramuros, Manila several years back.

“Dreams are fulfilled in Paris, but they begin here,” said MVP referring to the venue where Yulo and some of the country’s local-based national team mainstays plus some promising young guns are training.

“You made us all proud, Caloy. You’re proof a Filipino can,” he added.

Pangilinan is also expected to announce soon of MVPSF’s plan of doubling the cash incentives Yulo will be receiving from the government by law, which was a total of P20 million (P10 million per gold).

The MVPSF did the same when it gave P10 million to Hidilyn Diaz when she copped the breakthrough Olympic gold in weightlifting in the Tokyo Games three years ago.

Meanwhile, Bounty Fresh and Chooks-to-Go will reward Yulo P3 million cash while Megaworld has upgraded its incentive from a two-bedroom, P24 million worth condo unit in McKinley Hill to a three-bedroom unit worth P32 million.

Add everything up, plus the P3 million the House of Representatives pledged two days ago, and Yulo stands to pocket P49 million in cash alone.

Also, Yulo gets a house and lot from Philippine Olympic Committee  president Abraham Tolentino although it wasn’t specified yet if he will get just one or a pair since he won two mints.

There was also the free lifetime eat-all-you-can voucher for Yulo at Vikings, which means he will never get hungry again until the day he dies.

More, of course, are coming.