Duterte doubles cash incentives for Filipino SEA Games medalists
Some of the Filipino SEA Games medalists during a visit to Malacañang on Tuesday. PSC PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–Carlos Edriel Yulo is the biggest winner among Filipino medalists in the recent 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam with five gold and two silver medals in men’s artistic gymnastics.
The world champion gymnast also wound up as the top beneficiary of President Rodrigo Duterte’s generosity after receiving a cash bonus twice as much based on the standard rate.
Yulo got P3,375,000 in cash incentives after Duterte doubled all the bonuses of the SEA Games medalists who gathered a stockpile of 52 golds, 70 silvers and 105 bronzes as Team Philippines finished fourth overall out of 11 nations in the Games.
“President Duterte was very pleased by the performance of our athletes in the last Vietnam SEA Games and doubling their incentives is his way of recognizing and showing his appreciation for their efforts,” said Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez, who led the courtesy call of the Philippine contingent at Malacanang Tuesday evening.
The President’s generous goodwill gesture meant that he was matching again the P34,537,500 in total cash incentives that all of the medalists will receive under Republic Act 10699, the incentives law.
Under the law, an individual gold medal is worth P300,000, a silver, P150,000, and P60,000 for the bronze.
“Please know that I really recognize all the tedious preparations you have made to perform your best in this regional sports competition. Just like a father to every Filipino, I am very proud of you,” Duterte told athletes, coaches and sports officials present at the reception held at the Rizal Hall.
Aleah Finnegan of gymnastics will earn P1.35 million from PSC and Duterte, while Rubilen Amit of billiards and Kim Mangrobang of triathlon will receive P1.2 million each.
