SEAG medalists face cash galore

A huge payday awaits Filipino athletes who emerged victorious in the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand recently.

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) yesterday stressed that national athletes and coaches will make a courtesy call in Malacañang on 21 January, where they will be given their cash incentives for their victorious performances in the biennial meet.

Based on the Republic Act 10699 — or the Atletes and Coaches Incentives Act — gold medalists in the SEA Games stand to receive P300,000 while silver and bronze medalists will get P150,000 and P60,000, respectively. 

There, however, will be a different computation if the athletes emerged victorious in team sports with more than four competitors like the Gilas Pilipinas Men and Women squads in basketball, the national baseball squad and the Filipinas in women’s football.

Gregorio stressed that no less than President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. extended his invitation to the Filipino athletes, raising speculations that there will be a surprise bonus incentives from the Chief Executive.

“Yes, that will be done on 21 January,” Gregorio said in an interview.

“That’s the schedule that we’re talking about and the President said that he wants to see the athletes.”

“President Marcos himself will give incentives to them. We are now coordinating with the Office of the President so we can see the possibility that they will be given from President Marcos.”

Filipino-Canadian swimmer Kayla Sanchez is set to earn the biggest cash incentive of P1.6 million after winning three gold and five silver medals in the biennial meet same goes with Kira Ellis who won a pair of gold medals in triathlon and two silver medal in aquathlon. 

Tennis sensation Alex Eala is also set to have a good harvest of P420,000 after pocketing the gold medal in women’s singles and the bronze medals in the women’s team and mixed doubles events.

Gregorio also said the rehabilitation of the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center is also in full swing, where Eala will face the best tennis players in the world for the WTA Philippine Open next month.

“In Rizal, it is also being changed because we are preparing, of course, for 26 January of WTA (Women’s Tennis Association). We don’t want to get embarrassed when it starts,” Gregorio said.