House gives P10 million cash incentives for SEAG gold medalists

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has decided to honor winning Filipino athletes in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games by giving additional cash incentives to gold medalists.

House leaders led by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano filed Resolution 568 granting at least P10 million to Filipino gold medalists in the SEA Games.

The amount will be collected from the January 2020 salaries of all House members.

“As a concrete manifestation of the commonality of the goal to bring honor and pride to the country, the leaders and members of the House of Representatives deem it proper to deduct individual pledges from their salaries for January 2020 as additional incentives to Filipino gold medal winners in the 30th SEA Games,” read the resolution filed last Wednesday afternoon.

“By winning gold medals in their respective sports in the 30th SEA Games and for bringing great honor and pride to the Filipino people, it is but fitting to grant these athletes the additional incentives from the POC (Philippine Olympic Committee) and the House of Representatives,” the lawmakers stressed.

The House leaders also expressed support to the Philippine athletes “in their quest to capture the gold medals in their respective sports and bring honor and pride to the Filipino people.”

The incentive from the House for gold medalists will be on top of cash and other incentives provided under the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act, which grants each SEA Games gold medalist P300,000 in cash, as well as incentives given by the POC.

Cayetano, head of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), was joined by Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Deputy Speakers Paolo Duterte and Prospero Pichay, committee on accounts chairman and POC president Rep. Abraham Tolentino and committee on youth and sports development chairman Rep. Eric Martinez in filing the measure.

Another lawmaker, Valenzuela Rep. Wes Gatchalian, supported the move and also called on the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to ensure that all Filipino podium finishers will receive their cash incentives as provided by the law.

“Our record-breaking medal haul in the SEA Games is because of the hard work and dedication of our athletes. They have made our country proud and incentives provided to them by law is a token of our gratitude for the honor they brought us, and the PSC should ensure that the incentives for our winning athletes are given in a timely manner,” Gatchalian said.

“Our winning athletes deserve every single peso that is due them. Some of them have even spent their own money just to be able to train for this competition. These athletes can use the cash incentives they will receive to train for future competitions and to further hone their craft,” he stressed.

As of noon yesterday, Philippines maintained its strong lead in the medal tally with 57 gold, 42 silver and 24 bronze medals.

A total of 1,094 Filipino athletes, backed by 753 coaches, are competing in this SEA Games.