PSC okays P6.7M bonus for special athletes

MANILA, Philippines - Differently-abled athletes and their coaches can finally cash in on their winning efforts in the 2015 Asean Para Games as the Philippine Sports Commission will release P6.783 million in total windfall on Feb. 5 at PhilSports Arena.

“Pagcor (Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp) has already approved our request for funding for the incentives),” PSC chairman Richie Garcia said.

The medalists are entitled to bonuses under RA 10669 or the revised Sports Incentives Act, which mandates rewards of P150,000 per gold; a P75,000 per silver, and P30,000 per bronze. A coach stand to get a bonus equivalent to 50 percent of the incentive his ward will receive.

In the past, Para Games medals weren’t entitled to windfall under the old RA 9064 (Sports Incentive Act) and the PSC just handed out certain amounts to winning bets.

“It will be a historic moment because it will be the first time our differently-abled athletes will be receiving their rightful incentives based on the new law that we tried hard to pass and signed by our president himself,” said Alay Buhay Party List Rep. Wes Gatchalian, chairman of the House youth and sports development committee.

Team Philippines collected 16 gold, 17 silver, and 26 bronze medals from the APG in Singapore last month.