MANILA, Philippines – Winning it big in international competitions has never came as big as this before.
And a gold medal a national athlete snares it out there, now amounts or tantamount to a sterling 24-carat gold.
Meet the new millionaires of Philippine sports whom President Rodrigo Roa Duterte fittingly honored them recently and recognized their heroics in assorted international meets.
Assisted by Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez and Senate Sports Committee Chairman Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, the President met the new millionaire-athletes at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang.
A gold medalist for the 49th Fédération Internationale de (JIM-nas-tike) Gymnastiqua (FIG) Artistic Gymnastics World Championship and a qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Carlos Edriel P. Yulo, received P1 million from the PSC and P1 million from the President.
Nesthy A. Petecio, the gold medalist for the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, also received P1 million from the PSC and another P1 million from President Duterte.
Also, Ernest John Obiena—the gold medalist at the 23rd Asian Athletics Championships, gold medalist at the 30th Summer Universiade, and a qualifier to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics—got P1,650,000 from the PSC and P1 million from the President.
Other athletes were also given cash incentives by the President and by the PSC.
Hidilyn F. Diaz, the bronze medalist at the 2019 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and silver medalist at the 2019 Asian Weightlifting Championships, received P350,000 from the PSC and P500,000 from the Chief Executive.
Filipino boxer Eumir Felix Marcial got P500,000 from PSC and another P500,000 from President Duterte.
Marcial was the silver medalist at the 2019 Association Internationale de Boxe (Boc-SE) Amateur AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships.
The President also handed over incentives to Philippine representatives to the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA).
Among the awardees were Gerardo M. Mercado, the WCOPA Team Philippines National Director, and Mary Anne Mercado, the Creative Director. Joanna Ruth P. Miranda, one of the medalists, was also honored Wednesday.
The WCOPA Philippine team bagged 136 gold medals, 86 silver medals, 76 bronze medals, 36 semifinalist medals, and 49 division winner plaques.
The team sent 106 delegates during the 23rd World Championships of Performing Arts held at Long Beach, California last July. (Malacanang News/IAmigo/CNS)
