SENATOR Sonny Angara yesterday filed a resolution commending Josephine Medina for capturing a bronze medal in the table tennis competitions of the ongoing Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Medina, the country’s flag-bearer in the Games, will receive a cash bonus of P1 million under the athletes incentives law or Republic Act 10699 after ending the country’s 16-year medal drought in the Paralympics.
“This is truly one of the noblest intentions of the law—to include our winning athletes with disabilities in the grant of cash awards from the government,” said Angara, the author and sponsor of RA 10699.
“The term ‘national athletes’ should encompass all athletes including those who are differently abled as they undoubtedly deserve bigger incentives and benefits,” said Angara.
Medina duplicated the feat of powerlifter Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta, who bagged a bronze in the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.
But during that time, Ancheta got a total of P500,000 for her achievement, P200,000 from the Philippine Sports Commission and P300,000 from then President Joseph Estrada.
Under the new law, a gold medalist in the Paralympics will get P5 million, a silver is worth P2.5 million and a bronze is equivalent to P1 million.