Siklab Atleta Pilipinas Sports Foundation will award cash prizes to Filipino athletes coming home as medal winners from the 2018 Asian Games that will open Saturday in Jakarta and Palembang in Indonesia.

The private organization will reward gold medalists P1 million, silver medalists P500,000 and bronze medalists P250,000.

“We want to help fuel the country’s dream of global recognition in sports. Through this incentive, we hope to motivate and inspire our athletes to excel and bring pride to our country,” said Siklab Atleta chairman and Presidential Adviser on Sports Dennis Uy.

“To our athletes, your hard work and determination to excel despite adversities is an inspiration to your fellow Filipinos. You can count on the support of Siklab as you represent the best of our country to the world,” Uy said.

Siklab Atleta Pilipinas Sports Foundation, Inc. is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the private sector to help the Philippines in its quest to win our first Olympic gold.

Through a pool of funds gathered from private sponsors, Siklab Atleta pledged to provide the country’s best athletes with training equipment and facilities, coaching, exposure to international competitions, education, housing and livelihood programs.

It is backed by the country’s largest corporations, including SM Investments Corp., Belle Resources, RFM Corporation, Alaska Corporation, Tanduay Distillery, JG Summit, Megawide Construction, International Container Terminal Services, San Miguel Corporation, PLDT, United Laboratories, Ulticon Builders, Phoenix Petroleum, 2GO, Megaworld, Robinsons Land and Piatco.

“We are thankful to the private sector for supporting our athletes and Siklab’s vision of bringing pride and glory to our country through sports,” said Uy.

The Philippine team to the Asian Games will be headed by 2016 Rio Olympic Games silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, who is also supported by Siklab Atleta. The country will send more than 270 athletes who will compete in 35 sports during the two-week event.