Asian Games medalists get P5.4-M incentives

The Filipino medalists in the recent 17th Asian Games will receive a total cash incentive of P5.4 million as a reward provided by Republic Act No. 9064 or the government’s Sports Incentives Act.

Fil-Am Caluag, who captured the lone gold medal for the Philippines in Incheon, pocketed P1 million.

Silver medalists Charly Suarez of boxing and wushu’s Daniel Parantac and Jean Claude Saclag stand to earn P500,000 while the 11 bronze medalists are entitled to P100,000 each,

The rest of the P5.4-million bonus will go to coaches, who will receive half the value of what their athletes will get.

With a 1-3-11 gold-silver-bronze medal tally, the Philippines landed 22nd overall among 45 countries and seventh among Southeast Asian nations behind Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam.

“It’s not the athletes’ fault. They were selected based on credentials,” said Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia.

Taekwondo jins Levita Ronna Ilao (women’s -49kg), Samuel Morrison (men’s -74kg), Benjamin Keith Sembrano (men’s -68kg), Mary Anjelay Pelaez (women’s -46kg) and Kirstie Elaine Alora (women’s -73kg) nailed bronze medals along with archer Paul Marton Dela Cruz.

Other bronze performers were wushu’s Francisco Solis and boxers Mark Barriga (light fly), Mario Fernandez (bantam) and Wilfredo Lopez (middle).