House tells PSC to ensure grant of cash perks to sports winners
LAWMAKERS asked the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) on Thursday to ensure that all Filipino podium finishers as well their coaches will receive their cash incentives as provided for by Republic Act 10699 or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.
Under R A 10699, Deputy Speaker Wes Gatchalian of Valenzuela said gold, silver, and bronze individual medalists in the Olympic Games are entitled to receive P10 million, P5 million and P2 million, respectively.
“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,” Gatchalian said.
He said for winners in team events, teams with less than five members are entitled to the cash price equivalent to individual medal winners, which would be divided equally among the team members. Members of teams composed of more than five will receive 25 percent of the cash incentives for individual medal winners.
“The accolade for the recordbreaking medal of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, the first gold for the Philippines in a century, is because of her hard work and dedication. Our athletes have made our country proud and incentives provided to them by law is a token of our gratitude for the honor they bring us, and the PSC should ensure that the incentives for our winning athletes are given in a timely manner,” Gatchalian said.
“These athletes can use the cash incentives they will receive to train for future competitions and to further hone their craft,” he added.
The lawmaker also noted that coaches of winning athletes in the Olympic Games shall also be entitled to cash incentives if they have personally trained the athletes or teams who won at least six months prior to the international competition.
The coaches of the winning athletes and teams are entitled to receive 50 percent of the cash incentives for gold, silver, and bronze medalists. If there is more than one coach, the cash incentives shall be divided among themselves. time the legislative chamber will confer such an award, the creation of which is subject of a separate resolution filed by Speaker Velasco, Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Minority Leader Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano.
Velasco said Diaz deserved “gratitude and recognition from every single Filipino” after clinching the very first Olympic gold medal for the Philippines.
“We thought an Olympic gold medal for the Philippines will never happen in our lifetime until it did, many thanks to Hidilyn Diaz!” Velasco said, echoing the sentiments of Filipino sports enthusiasts.
In House Resolution (HR) 2041 that he filed along with other House leaders and members, Velasco cited Diaz for serving as an inspiration to Filipinos, especially young women and athletes.
“Hidilyn Diaz has now inspired countless young Filipino women and girls, athletes, and young Filipino dreamers to reach for their goals and achieve their dreams,” the resolution stated.
“Hidilyn Diaz’s fighting heart and indomitable spirit has ignited hope and dreams in our country reeling from the current pandemic and economic downturn by bringing honor and pride to all Filipinos, whether in the country or abroad,” it read.
Velasco, Romualdez and Paduano also filed HR 1981 seeking to institutionalize the Congressional
Medal of Excellence for national athletes who win the gold medal in the Olympic Games, which they described as “the world’s only truly global, multi-sport celebratory athletics competition.”
There are currently two congressional medals being handed out by the House: Congressional Medal of Distinction and Congressional Medal of Achievement.
The Congressional Medal of Distinction is given to Filipino achievers in sports, business, medicine, science, and arts and culture; while the Congressional Medal of Achievement is awarded to political, economic, and cultural leaders, who have distinguished themselves through their life work and their vision.