KRISTEL SATUMBAGA

A total of P12.4 million will be given to all Filipino athletes who won medals in the 32^nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia as part of the Philippine Olympic Committee’s (POC) Athletes’ Incentive Trust Fund.

Of the total bonus, P7.2 million will come from the Manuel V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation (MVPSF), while P5.2 million will be from the POC funds.

Two-time world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo will receive the biggest cash windfall among the medallists after winning two gold and two silver medals in men’s gymnastics.

Under the POC’s incentive program, P100,000 will go to an individual gold medallist, P50,000 to doubles and relay teams and P30,000 to team; P50,000 to silver medallist, P30,000 for doubles and P20,000 for relay; and P30,000 to individual silver medallist and P10,000 for doubles and relay.

Yulo won the individual all-around and parallel bars gold, and silver in still rings and the men’s team event.

“The amount is from the generosity of MVPSF, Manny V. Pangilinan, through the efforts of [president] Al Panlilio,” said POC President Bambol Tolentino.  

“The athletes, particularly the medallists, deserve the reward and the POC will always be diligent on that,” he added.

The country won 58 gold, 85 silver and 117 bronze medals to finish fifth overall in the biennial meet.

The POC bonus was separate from the government incentives that will be given through the Philippine Sports Commission under the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act (Republic Act 10699).

Under the law, SEAG gold winners will get P300,000, silver medalists P150,000 and bronze P60,000.