President Ferdinand Marcos rewarded Olympic athletes and coaches with cash incentives after the Philippines’ strong campaign in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
During the welcome celebration for the Philippines’ Paris 2024 Olympians, Mr. Marcos announced that the athletes who participated in the Olympics will receive P1 million pesos each while their coaches will receive P500,000 each from the Office of the President.
“I apologize because the incentives are small. I know that one million pesos, when compared to your sacrifices and what you’ve gone through, seems very little,” the President said.
“We have already provided many material things. What I would like to do is ask our athletes, coaches, and all our sports organizations, instead of giving out cash, I think it’s more important for me to be involved in sports development in the country. We have fallen behind,” he added.
President Marcos awarded Presidential Citations to all participating athletes, such as bronze medalists Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, who competed in women’s boxing events.
Petecio and Villegas also received two million pesos each from the Office of the President for their respective podium finishes.
Meanwhile, gymnast Carlos Yulo, who secured two gold medals in the men’s floor exercise and vault, received the Presidential Medal of Merit in addition to P20 million pesos from the President’s office.
The President hailed the country’s athletes, citing that participating in the Olympics is an achievement in itself. “I only have one complaint: I was sleepless for two weeks, but my lack of sleep was more than worth it,” he said in jest.
“Your performance is the result of your sacrifices, those of your coaches, and your family’s support.”
Mr. Marcos emphasized the need to recognize not only the athletes, but also the support teams behind their success.
He acknowledged the challenges faced by athletes, including injuries and financial constraints, and stressed that their success is also a testament to the unwavering support they received from their teams and families.
“I think we should recognize not only the athletes, although they are of course deserving of recognition, but also all the support group,” the President said.
“It takes a long time. You go through injuries, you can’t travel because you can’t afford the fare to go abroad or to international competitions—all of these, and yet you come through. You have shown the spirit of the Filipino, the determination of the Filipino,” he continued.
Mr. Marcos, moreover, vowed the administration’s commitment to assist the athletes in preparation for their various sporting events.
“I ask all of you to tell us what you need for training our athletes, where you have faced difficulties, and what you are unable to achieve that we can help with. You tell us,” the chief executive stated.
The participating athletes in the 2024 Paris Olympics and their respective teams arrived in Manila at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City on Tuesday evening via a Philippine Airlines chartered flight from Dubai.
The Olympians received a warm red-carpet welcome before heading to Malacañan Palace, where President Marcos and the First Family hosted a welcome dinner for the delegation.
A homecoming parade for the athlete delegates has also been organized and scheduled for August 14 to celebrate their successful Olympic campaign.
The festivities will begin with a parade starting at 3:00 p.m. from Aliw Theater in CCP Complex in Pasay City to Rizal Memorial Sports Complex which will feature a mini program where fans can meet and greet the athletes.
The Philippines, with a total of four medals, achieved its best-ever performance at the Olympics, ranking 37th overall and surpassing its previous medal count from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
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