President Rodrigo Duterte will award additional incentives to Filipino athletes, who won medals in the 31st Southeast Asian Games on top of the incentives provided by law, said Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Monday.
Earlier, Go lauded Team Philippines for their remarkable performance at the SEA Games in Hanoi.
With a total of 227 medals, the country’s delegation placed fourth in the medal standings, with 52 golds, 70 silvers, and 105 bronze medals.
President Duterte has also given additional financial incentives and other monetary rewards to athletes in the past.
The additional incentives for the 31st SEA games medalists shall be determined and provided by the Office of the President.
This will be on top of what is provided by Republic Act No. 10699, which says the Philippine Sports Commission shall provide financial incentives to medal-winning athletes. The law, also known as the National Athletes and Coaches Incentives and Benefits Act, rewards a Filipino athlete P300,000 for each gold medal earned, while a silver and bronze medal are worth P150,000 and P60,000, respectively.
Medalists, who break current Philippine records, SEA Games standards, or world records in any measurable international competition may also be eligible for cash rewards, as determined by the PSC.
Go commended the government’s efforts to support the delegation’s training and assistance to the fullest extent possible.
He said that the government should continue to invest in programs, financial aid, and infrastructure to assist the athletes in achieving their goals.
In a statement, Go, who heads the Senate Committee on Sports, expressed gratitude for the efforts of all the athletes who competed in the biennial sports meet.
An advocate of long-term sports development, Go has been pushing for measures to protect the welfare and promote the betterment of athletes towards the country’s sports renaissance.
As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go also ensured that sufficient funding is included in the budget of the Philippine Sports Commission to support the preparations of athletes for international competitions.
