Members of Team Philippines could get an estimated total of as much as P126.5 million in incentives for their achievements in the 30th Southeast Asian Games, in celebration of their success in taking the meet’s overall championship, something that has not been achieved in 14 years.
The cash bonanza will be handed to athletes on Dec. 18 when they meet President Rodrigo Duterte
during the awarding of incentives to all the winners in Malacanang.
“Our athletes gave their all and they deserve all the respect and care that we can give them as kababayans and as a nation. You all made us proud. Salamat sa inyong sakripisyo, tiyaga at pagpupursigi,” said Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez.
A total 149 golds medals, 118 silvers and 120 bronzes were collected during the 12-day meet.
For now, gold medallists could get as much as P81.950 million in bonuses.
Republic Act 10699 provides for cash incentives for winners of the SEA Games to receive P300,000, P150,000 and P60,000 respectively for gold, silver and bronze finishes.
The President is expected to give out additional incentives of P250,000 for gold, P150,000 for silver and P100,000 for bronze medalists.
Athletics delivered the most medals with 27–11 golds, 8 silvers and 8 bronzes.
Taekwondo was the second most productive discipline in the games at 21 with an 8-9-4 tally.
Arnis proved to be the third most prolific event in the games with 14 from a gold-silver-bronze haul of 8-4-2.
For athletics, Kristina Knott emerged as the most bemedalled member of the Philippine national athletics team after Team Philippines finished with a silver medal in the women’s 4×100 meter relays.
Knotts’s four medals came from two golds in the women’s 200-meter dash and the 4X100 meter mixed relays.
Her silvers were from women’s 100-meter dash, and 4×400-meter relays.
Arnis, which had 14 golds, got some of it from Dexter Bolambao (bantamweight), Jezebel Morillo (women’s bantamweight), Nino Talledo (men’s featherweight) and Mike Banares (65 kg).
