PSC urged to ensure winning PH athletes get cash rewards
WITH the gold medal win of weight lifter Hidilyn Diaz in the Tokyo Olympic Games, Deputy Speaker and Valenzuela City Rep. Wes Gatchalian said Thursday the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) should ensure that all Filipino podium finishers will receive their cash incentives as provided for by Republic Act (RA) No. 10699 or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.
“The accolade for the record-breaking medal of Diaz, the first gold for the Philippines in a century, is because of her hard work and dedication. Our athletes have made our country proud and incentives provided to them by law is a token of our gratitude for the honor they bring us, and the PSC should ensure that the incentives for our winning athletes are given in a timely manner,” Gatchalian said.
Under RA 10699, gold, silver, and bronze individual medalists in the Olympic Games are entitled to receive P10 million, P5 million, and P2 million, respectively.
For winners in team events, teams with less than five members are entitled to the cash price equivalent to individual medal winners, which would be divided equally among the team members.
Members of teams composed of more than five will receive 25% of the cash incentives for individual medal winners.
“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,” Gatchalian said.
“These athletes can use the cash incentives they will receive to train for future competitions and to further hone their craft,” he added.
The lawmaker also noted that coaches of winning athletes in the Olympic Games shall also be entitled to cash incentives if they have personally trained the athletes or teams who won at least six months prior to the international competition.
The coaches of the winning athletes and teams are entitled to receive 50% of the cash incentives for gold, silver, and bronze medalists. If there is more than one coach, the cash incentives shall be divided among themselves.
“Let us all support not only our athletes but their coaches as well, who pushed and persevered and won in this games with their protégé.
Gatchalian was a co-author of the House version of the National and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act during the 16th Congress, and former chairman of the House committee on youth and sports development that heard and approved the measure.
