THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) on Tuesday honored the ardent Filipino para athletes with well-deserved incentives after a record-breaking campaign in the 13th ASEAN Para Games earlier this year in Thailand.
More than P11 million worth of checks were distributed in a simple awarding ceremony led by PSC Chairman Patrick “Pato” C. Gregorio at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum after Team Philippines scooped up 134 medals (45 golds, 37 silvers, 52 bronzes) across 22 sports disciplines for its best placing ever since the biennial tourney’s foundation in 2001 at No. 4.
Mandated by the Republic Act No. 10699 (National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act), the PSC rewarded the para athletes with P150,000, P75,000 and P30,000 for gold, silver and bronze medalists. It’s only half of the incentives being handed out to able-bodied athletes at P300,000, P150,000 and P60,000, respectively.
But the para athletes could enjoy the equal reward in the near future after the third-reading passage last March of the Senate Bill No. 1743 sponsored by Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go seeking to match the incentives of both the able-bodied and para athletes in international competitions.
A total of 75 para athletes were present in the ceremony led by seasoned tanker Angel Mae Otom, who was the most bemedaled athlete with five individual gold mints plus a silver in the mixed 4×50 freestyle relay with Gary Bejino, Marco Tinamisan and Josephine Beariz.
In line with the awarding of incentives, Mr. Gregorio also announced the near completion of the new office and headquarters for para athletes at the Philsports Complex in Pasig as well as the arrival of new tracksuits.
The PSC has also announced a landmark partnership with SM Prime Holdings, Inc., led by Hans T. Sy for the transformation of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, especially in outer landscape in front of the soon-to-rise SM Harrison Plaza in 2027, a multi-purpose mall, condo and park now under the mall tycoon from then an iconic shopping center.
In a tie-up with Milo, the PSC will also renovate and expand its dining hall inside the complex for the better nutrition of all athletes. — John Bryan Ulanday
