MANILA – Medal-winning Filipino athletes may receive an additional incentive of up to P100,000 after bringing pride to the country in the recently concluded 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara has called for an amendment of the law that gives cash rewards to national athletes who will win medals in international competitions.
In his Senate Bill 1225, Angara seeks to amend Republic Act 10699 or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act to increase cash incentives efor athletes by P20,000 to P100,000.
“With such a stellar performance, it is only fitting that our national athletes and their coaches receive higher incentives from the government as they go on to compete in other international competitions,” Angara said.
Under the proposal, Asian Games winners will receive the following: Gold medalists – P600,000 (from P500,000),Silver medalists – P350,000 (from P250,000) and Bronze medalists – P150,000 (from P100,000).
For Southeast Asian Games winners: Gold medalists – P400,000 (from P300,000), Silver medalists – P200,000 (from P150,000) and Bronze medalists – P100,000 (from P60,000).
For ASEAN Para Games: Gold medalists – P200,000 (from P150,000), Silver medalists – P125,000 (from P75,000) and Bronze medalists – P50,000 (from P30,000).
“What our national athletes achieved in the SEA Games is truly historic and should be heralded,” Angara said, lauding the Team Philippines’ overall championship in the SEA Games.
“It was not only how they performed in their respective sports, but the way they carried themselves during the games that captured the hearts of Filipinos and our ASEAN neighbors alike,” he added./PN
