PSC chief: Moreno deserves cash incentive

SHANGHAI—Like any other Filipino athlete who achieved success on the world stage, young archer Luis Gabriel Moreno deserves a cash incentive from the government, according to the chair of the Philippine Sports Commission.

Richie Garcia said yesterday the government sports agency would push for an amendment of a law that gives cash rewards only to medalists in the Summer Olympics, Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games.

Under Republic Act 9064, or the Sports Incentive Act, Garcia said Moreno—winner of the gold medal in archery’s mixed international team event in the ongoing Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China—is not entitled to a cash incentive.

“We will make representations with Malacañang,” said Garcia. “The Youth Olympics is not covered by the Incentives Act. That’s why we’re pushing for an amendment of RA 9064.”

Moreno, a high school senior at La Salle Green Hills, paired with China’s Li Jiaman to gift the country its first gold—its only medal, in fact—in the biennial Games for athletes 14 to 18 years old.

Under RA 9064, a gold medalist in the Summer Olympics gets a cash bonus of P5 million and a silver medalist P2.5 million.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. shares Garcia’s sentiment.

“The incentives for our athletes are not enough,” said Cojuangco.

The tandem of Moreno and Li defeated Muhamad Zarif Syahir Zolkepeli of Malaysia and Germany’s Cynthia Freywald, 6-0, in the gold-medal match.

The country’s chief of mission to the Games, Jonne Go, praised Moreno’s breakthrough feat.