PSC to give incentives to SEAG medalists

THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will distribute some P17 million cash incentives to athletes that won medals in the recently concluded 2017 Southeast Asian Games ( SEAG) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

According to PSC chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez, the sports agency is planning to release the athletes’ cash rewards on September 13.

“The budget will come from us (PSC) or from the PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation). We are just computing the exact amount to be given away to the athletes,” Ramirez said.

Under the revised Athletes and Coaches Incentive Act also known as RA 9064, a gold medalist is entitled to a P300,000 cash incentive from the government while silver and bronze finishers get P150,000 and P60,000, respectively.

For team events such as basketball and ice hockey, each member will receive P75,000.

Heading the list of recipients is Filipino- American Trenten Anthony Beram who delivered two gold medals by winning the men’s 200m run and 400m run in the athletics competition as well as fellow trackster Eric Shauwn Cray, gold medalist in the men’s 400m hurdles, and silver medallist in the men’s 100m hurdles.

Beram and Cray also steered the PH men’s team in the 4x100m relay to a bronze finish along with Archand Christian Bagsit and Anfernee Lopena.

The other multi-medalists are gymnast Kaitlin De Guzman (one gold, one silver and one bronze), wushu bet Agatha Chrystenzen Wong (one gold and one bronze), trackster Aries Toledo (one gold and one bronze) and gymnast Reyland Capellan (one gold and one bronze).

The other gold medal winners are Mary Joy Tabal (women’s marathon), Nikko Huelgas ( men’s triathlon), Kim Mangrobang (women’s triathlon), Brennan Wayne Louie (men’s foil fencing), Eumir Felix Marcial (men’s middleweight boxing), John Marvin Tupaz (men’s light heavyweight, boxing), Chezka Centeno (women’s 9-ball pool singles, billiards), Samuel Morrison (men’s 74 kg. tae kwon do), Carlo Biado (men’s 9-ball pool singles, billiards), Collin John Syquia (individual show jumping equestrian) and Dines Dumaan (men’s tanding Class A pencak silat).

The PH lawn bowls men’s team composed of Curte Guarin, Leoncio Carreon and Ronald Lising also won gold. The PH men’s poomsae team, men’s hockey team and men’s basketball team also won gold medals in the biennial meet.

Overall, the Philippines bagged 24 gold, 33 silver and 64 bronze medals for a sixth place finish – the country’s worst finish in the SEAG in the past two decades.