PSC hands extra ₱100,000 allowance to para-athletes

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez has announced that the para-athletes, coaches, and accompanying officials are set to receive an additional allowance of P100,000 ahead of the Tokyo Paralympic Games from Aug. 24. to Sept. 5.

This hikes their total allowance to P150,000 when they leave next week.

"Kung, nag-e-enjoy ka, mas maganda ang pulso mo," said Ramirez, who told the para-athletes to just "enjoy" the game" during PSC's online People Sports Conversations.

The PSC Chief also asked Chef de Mission Francis Diaz to encourage his colleagues at the University of the Philippines to prepare the athletes mentally and psychology, citing the recent success of Filipino athletes in the Tokyo Olympics recently.

Ramirez added that there was no hesitation to approve the additional allowances on the end of the PSC board of commissioners, saying that the same was applied to the Tokyo Games due to the "high cost of living in Japan." Wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan (para athletics) will be carrying's the country's color in the opening ceremony while para swimmer Ernie Gawilan was also tasked the same in the closing counterpart. Completing the Philippine team are discus thrower Jeanette Aceveda (para athletics), para swimmer Gary Bejino, para taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin and para powerlifter Achelle Guion.

The para-athletes, for their part, expressed gratitude to Ramirez and the PSC officials and said they are "happily overwhelmed with the love and care the sports agency has been giving them."