Senate honors Pinoy Olympians

On Monday, 19 August, the Senate of the Philippines recognized the achievements of Filipino Olympians who brought honor to the country during the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, joined the commendations with the entire Senate, led by Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, as they awarded cash incentives and Senate Medals of Excellence to the country's top athletes.

“I congratulate our Filipino athletes as well as our coaches who participated and exemplified admirable dedication and perseverance in different sporting categories of the 2024 Paris Olympics. I am so proud that we have made history as we reaped not only one medal but four medals in the biggest and grandest sporting event in the world,” Go expressed.

“Indeed, the accolades and accomplishments of our athletes have served as a source of encouragement and inspiration. This goes to show that despite the challenges we are facing, we, as a country, continue to strive further and soar to greater heights,” he added.

During the Plenary Session, a total of P3 million was awarded to Carlos Edriel Yulo, who made history by winning two gold medals in the men’s floor exercise and vault events in artistic gymnastics. Yulo’s performance marked the Philippines’ best Olympic finish ever. Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villeges, both bronze medal-winning boxers in Paris, each received P1 million.

Furthermore, the Senate congratulated the entire Philippine delegation, the Philippine Olympic Committee, and the Philippine Sports Commission for their historic achievements in Paris 2024.

Prior to the Olympics, Senator Go collaborated with the Philippine Sports Commission to provide additional financial support of P500,000 to each Filipino Olympian to aid in their preparations. The same amount was allocated to each Filipino para-athlete set to compete in the upcoming 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.

The senator also highlighted other efforts to support Filipino athletes, including the establishment of the National Academy of Sports (NAS) and the proposed Philippine National Games (PNG) Act, which he principally sponsored.

"Kitang-kita na po natin na unti-unti nang nagbubunga ang mga pinagpaguran at pagsasakripisyo ng ating mga Pilipinong atleta sa iba’t ibang larangan ng sports,” Go said.