Marcos to present incentives to SEA Games, ASEAN Para Games medalists

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is set to recognize the athletes who delivered medals at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games held in Cambodia in May and June and present the cash incentives in a ceremony at the Malacañan Palace on July 20.

Marcos will hand out the incentives, which total around P60 million for the SEAG medalists and P14 million for APG medalists as provided for by Republic Act 10699, or the Expanded National Athletes and Coaches Incentives and Benefits Act.

Under the said law, gold medalists at the SEA Games will receive P300,000 while silver and bronze medalists will take home P150,000 and P60,000, respectively. Para Games gold medalists, on the other hand, will receive P150,000 while silver and bronze winners will get P75,000 and P30,000 each.

The funding for the incentives will be coming from the net cash income of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) as remitted to the National Sports Development Fund of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

“We are grateful for President Marcos’ decision to personally award the incentives to Team Philippines, an expression of his admiration to our national athletes and their unwavering passion and dedication for representing the country,” said PSC chairman Richard Bachmann in a statement.

At the SEA Games, the Philippines finished fifth overall after copping 58 golds, 85 silver, and 117 bronze medals while at the ASEAN Para Games, Team Philippines took home 34 golds, 33 silver, and 50 bronze.

Also invited to attend the ceremony are executive secretary Lucas Bersamin, Senate Committee on Sports chairman Sen. Bong Go, House Committee on Youth and Sports Chairman Rep. Faustino Dy III, and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, along with other sports executives and officials.

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA Integrated News