THE windfall of rewards for Filipina weightlifting champion Hidilyn Diaz continues, as flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) granted her lifetime flight miles as a way of rewarding her for bagging the country’s first Olympic Gold in the Tokyo Olympics, bringing to two the number of airline companies to honor her with such reward.

Diaz was similarly awarded a lifetime of free flights by Air Asia Philippines, allowing her to fly for free to over 140 destinations in its network across Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and the US.

“We shall honor this exemplary achievement by giving Miss Diaz 80,000 free miles per year for life. This makes her not only the first Filipina Olympic gold medalist, but also Philippine Airlines’ first Forever Flyer,” said PAL President and chief operating officer Gilbert Santa Maria.

The Philippines’ first-ever Filipino Olympic gold medalist will be able to fly across PAL’s domestic, regional and international route network using her flight miles.

“It has long been the flag carrier’s mission to support outstanding Filipino athletes to enable them to showcase their skills to the world. Hidilyn’s life journey exemplifies hard work, determination and powerful faith, all of which led her to her Olympic victory and the new world record she set,” Santa Maria said.

According to PAL spokesperson Ma. Cielo Villaluna, the airline has in recent years sponsored or assisted the travel of about 300 young underprivileged Filipino athletes, performers and other artists representing the Philippines in global competitions.

This, she said, is being done through the PAL Foundation’s #RPRSNTPinoy program which aims to inspire a new generation of Filipinos to aspire for excellence, pursue their dreams and ultimately contribute to their respective communities.

Villaluna said Diaz is now the pioneer member of a new “Forever Flyer” program that PAL is rolling out in the coming months to enable more travelers to “Fly for Life”.

The 80,000 miles is equivalent to either a five economy roundtrip domestic flights or two roundtrip economy regional or one roundtrip economy international, she added.

For his part, AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla said, “Hidilyn is the perfect example of what it means to be an Allstar, by embodying AirAsia core values of Dreaming Big and Making it Happen. We thank her for reminding us that being the world’s best is second to serving the Filipinos. The Allstar family is one in celebrating with Hidilyn, and it is our great honor to serve her onboard.”

This is the second olympic medal brought by the 30-year-old Zamboangena, the first during the 2016 Rio Olympics. In the same year, Diaz was awarded with five-year unlimited flights within the AirAsia route network.

Diaz conquered the women’s 55 kilogram weightlifting competition on Tuesday, July 26, 2021 etching a historic first gold win for the Philippines which is about 97 years in the making.

House commends Mindanaoan Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has filed a resolution asking the House of Representatives to congratulate and commend Mindanaon on Hidilyn Diaz for winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Summer Olympics last Monday.

“Hidilyn Diaz is a true inspiration to many Filipinos and she has definitely shown that Filipinos can compete with the best of the world and excel at the highest level,” Rodriguez said in House Resolution (HR) No. 2019.

Rodriguez said the Filipino weightlifter’s triumph “was even more impressive, given that she has been away from home and was stranded in Malaysia since February 2020 due to the (coronavirus disease-19) COVID-19 global pandemic.”

“In her temporary home, Hidilyn had to improvise and train with makeshift equipment because of the travel restrictions and closure of gyms. She began training only with barbells made from plastic pipes with cast concrete weights at either end,” Rodriguez said.

Deputy Speaker and Citizens Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) party-list Rep. Eduardo “Bro. Eddie” Villanueva commended Diaz for the historic clinching of the country’s first Olympic gold medal.

“We celebrate with the entire nation for the historic and unprecedented victory of Hidilyn Diaz, who has finally given the country its first Olympic gold medal. God heard our prayers and rewarded Hidilyn’s hard work all these years. She brought the Philippines to the international sports map and restored the world’s respect for the Filipino people,” Villanueva said.

Diaz is part of the 19-delegate Filipino Olympian team who flew to Japan to compete in 11 different events. As of this writing, the Philippines is ranked 19th, with 1 gold medal, among the more than 200 countries that sent participants.

She made history by being the first Filipino to ever clinch the Olympic gold medal, which has been an elusive dream for the country in the 125 years of the Olympic Games and since 1924 when the country first participated in the same.

On top of winning the Philippines’ first Olympic gold, Diaz also set an Olympic record by lifting a total of 224 kilograms – 97 kilograms in the ‘snatch’ technique and 127 kilograms in the ‘clean and jerk’ technique – a feat that no one has done before.

Villanueva, together with CIBAC Rep. Domeng Rivera filed a still unnumbered resolution, which congratulates, commends, and honors Diaz for bringing immense pride, honor, and joy to the nation for her historic performance in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“Hidilyn’s victory rekindles a new sense of hope and motivation among Filipino athletes and puts to rest any doubt on the ability of the Filipino spirit to win and conquer any challenge, however insurmountable it may seem, in any international sporting event.

Walang hindi kayang marating ang atletang Pinoy!” Villanueva stressed.

“Our first Olympic gold could not have come at a better time. Hidilyn’s Olympian feat gives us courage to fight on despite the challenges and hardships we experience in life – particularly the debilitating COVID-19 pandemic. As Hidilyn bravely puts it, with God on our side, we are more than victorious,” Villanueva added.

Rodriguez cited Diaz’s long arduous journey and perseverance in her quest for medals.

He said Hidilyn joined her first-ever competition in the 2002 Batang Pinoy games in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, where she won the gold medal.

She bagged the bronze medal in her first Southeast Asian games in 2007, and participated as a wild card entry in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where she placed 11th out of 12 participants, he said. In the 2011 and 2013 Southeast Asian games, she received the silver medal and secured the gold in the 2015 Asian Weightlifting Championship, he said.

However, Rodriguez noted that in the 2012 London Olympics, Diaz unfortunately ended with a “did not finish” as she struggled with three unsuccessful attempts.

“Her defeats in London and Beijing did not lessen her resolve to compete and win. She training harder and showed the world what she was capable of by winning silver in in the 2016 Rio Olympics, giving the country its first medal in 20 years and its first non-boxing medal since 1936,” he said.

She continued to win as she bagged the gold in the 2018 Asian Games, bronze in the 2019 World Championship, silver in the 2019 Asian Championship, gold in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, and finally the Olympic gold last Monday, he said.

Tax-exempt

THE chairman of the House committee on ways and means on Wednesday filed a bill exempting the rewards received by Diaz from any and all forms of taxes and charges.

Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, panel chairman, said his committee will deliberate his House Bill (HB) No. 9891 “without delay” to ensure that Diaz and other winning athletes, such as Nesthie Petecio, will be able to enjoy the tax benefits as soon as possible.

“I run after big-time smugglers and tax evaders. The foregone taxes are just too small to even both collecting, not to mention diminishing the honor and national pride our athletes have gifted us. I’m not willing to rain on national pride by insisting that we collect taxes on our national athletes. Neither should the law. So we will change the law,” Salceda said.

“The honor that Filipino athletes have brought to the country this year is immense and historic. So unprecedented is this honor that it appears our laws were unable to anticipate the outpouring of material solidarity from different sectors of society for our winning athletes and coaches,” Salceda wrote in his explanatory note.

“In view of the need to recognize this historic win, and to express the State’s solidarity and congratulations for our winning athletes and coaches, this bill will exempt rewards for national athletes and coaches who compete or win in international sports competitions from any and all taxes, fees, and charges,” Salceda added.

The bill also ensures that the failure to issue revenue regulations providing the implementing mechanisms for the exemption will not preclude the provision from being implemented.

“This guarantees that no administrative omission will prevent the athletes and coaches from availing of the benefit,” Salceda wrote.

“Considering the negligible foregone taxes from such gifts, and considering that the representations these athletes and coaches make in international competitions are officially endorsed by, and made in behalf of, the State, these foregone revenues ultimately redound to the benefit of the State, whose goals and objectives these athletes and coaches promote,” the House tax panel chairman said.

“My instruction to the Committee Secretariat: we will hear this bill without delay. The consensus is there, so expect House passage within weeks. My Committee will have it done before the first half of August is over,” Salceda added.

Follow your dreams

Diaz encouraged all Filipino youths who want to enter into sports to follow their dreams no matter how difficult the circumstances may be. Diaz, who met with Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose Laurel V and the embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Robespierre Bolivar virtually also expressed her deep appreciation to the Filipinos, especially those in Japan who supported her throughout her journey.

The gold medalist explained there will be a lot of challenges but with determination, they can overcome the obstacles.

“Puwede kayong pumasok sa kahit anong sport, any sports, ang importante kasi may pangarap sila kasi kailangan may direksyon at determination,” she said.

“Kahit mahirap, maraming trials, and challenges kaya niyo ‘yan. Huwag kayong sumuko sa buhay at sa pangarap niyo sa sports.”

Sa ngayon medyo nagsi-sink in na pero hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala. Sobrang thankful ako sa Japan na ipinag-patuloy pa rin nila ‘yong Olympics, hindi kami makapaniwala na natuloy ito, hindi rin ako makapaniwala na nanalo ako ng gold medal so sobrang grateful ako at sobrang saya and nakaka-proud maging Pilipino,,” she said.

Laurel said Diaz brought pride to the Philippines.

She has become an inspiration and a role model to all Filipinos the world over.

“It’s the first time since we started that we have a gold medal and it is achieved by you and that we are very, very proud of,” Laurel said adding “I hope that you really will have a good life here after because you are a great inspiration for our people.” By ITCHIE G. CABAYAN, RYAN PONCE PACPACO & CRISTINA LEE-PISCO

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