TO reward Filipino athletes who will take home gold medals at the ongoing 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, the House of Representatives has filed a measure that will reward them additional cash incentives for bringing pride and honor to the country.
Resolution 568, which grants at least P10 million to Filipino gold medalists in the SEA Games, was filed last Wednesday, December 4, by House leaders led by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.
The amount will be deducted from the January 2020 salaries of all House members.
“As a concrete manifestation of the commonality of the goal to bring honor and pride to the country, the leaders and members of the House of Representatives deem it proper to deduct individual pledges from their salaries for January 2020 as additional incentives to Filipino gold medal winners in the 30th SEA Games,” the resolution read.
“By winning gold medals in their respective sports in the 30th SEA Games and for bringing great honor and pride to the Filipino people, it is but fitting to grant these athletes the additional incentives from the POC (Philippine Olympic Committee) and the House of Representatives,” it added.
The House leaders also stressed that they support the Philippine athletes “in their quest to capture the gold medals in their respective sports and bring honor and pride to the Filipino people.”
The gold medalists will also receive cash and other incentives provided under the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act, which grants each SEA Games gold medalist P300,000 in cash, as well as incentives given by the POC.
Joining Cayetano in filing the measure were Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Deputy Speakers Paolo Duterte and Prospero Pichay, committee on accounts chairman and POC president Rep. Abraham Tolentino and committee on youth and sports development chairman Rep. Eric Martinez in filing the measure.
Valenzuela Rep. Wes Gatchalian, meanwhile, called on the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to ensure that cash incentives will be given to all Filipino podium finishers as provided by the law.
“Our record-breaking medal haul in the SEA Games is because of the hard work and dedication of our athletes. They have made our country proud and incentives provided to them by law is a token of our gratitude for the honor they brought us, and the PSC should ensure that the incentives for our winning athletes are given in a timely manner,” he said.
“Our winning athletes deserve every single peso that is due them. Some of them have even spent their own money just to be able to train for this competition. These athletes can use the cash incentives they will receive to train for future competitions and to further hone their craft,” he added.
As of Friday, December 6, the Philippines maintained its lead in this year’s overall medal tally with 71 gold, 55 silver, and 50 bronze medals. With the SEA Games only halfway through, more Filipino athletes are set to fight for more gold medals in various sporting events.
