By MARK REY MONTEJO
Olympic-bound Filipino athletes got a big boost – confidence-wise – as they will be receiving financial incentives from lawmakers before they fly and compete in the 2024 Paris Games slated next month.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Richard Bachmann said that more than ₱30 million in cash incentives coming from the budget of Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Sen. Bong Go and other senators will be handed to qualified sportsmen and women who are set to compete in the City of Love slated July 26 to Aug. 9.
Certainly, the incentives will serve the Nationals in good stead as they train for a month in Metz, France before entering the Paris gates where the best of the best in sports are all ready to showcase their might in search for fame and fortune.
“Basically, she funded and asked her (Risa Hontiveros) to grow that fund because we have already 15 athletes qualified for Paris. Twenty-three million is only from Senator Risa Hontiveros, then Senator Bong Go has a figure already [at] may additional siya, Senator Pia (Cayetano) as well,” said Bachmann in Tuesday’s PSA Forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the 24/7 sports app in the country, ArenaPlus.
“There’s also additional [financial support] from other senators direct to the athletes already na pinasa lang sa PSC and I just signed a cheque, siguro mga ₱30 plus millions,” he added.
Bachmann also emphasized that the bonuses are not part of ₱52 million budget which the PSC alloted for the quadrennial meet. He mentioned that ₱43 million is already spent for qualifying tournaments, training, et al. but he assured that he’ll find ways to make it enough for the delegation.
“So I have eight to nine million left [and] kung kulang man, I will look for money,” Bachmann added.
So far, there are now 15 Filipino athletes qualified for next month’s Paris Games, including weightlifters John Ceniza, Elreen Ando, and Vanessa Sarno; boxers Eumir Marcial, Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan; gymnasts Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan, LevI Jung-Ruivivar and Emma Malabuyo; fencer Samantha Catantan; rower Joanie Delgaco; and pole vaulter EJ Obiena.
Still in the radar are track stars Eric Cray, John Cabang Tolentino, Lauren Hoffman, Robyn Brown and Kristina Knott; judoka Kiyomi Watanabe; golfers Dottie Ardina and Bianca Pagdanganan and cyclist Shagne Yaoyao.
Meanwhile, PSC will build a seven-storey building inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, specifically for the pencak silat and boxing gyms starting August.
The two respective training rooms will be reconstructed into a ₱100 million-project dormitory which is expected to be completed in 1 to 2 years.
“By the end of my term sabi nila is 1 and half or 2 years. The 6th and 7th floor will be for pencak silat and boxing, [respectively], and the five floors below are dormitories, the roofdeck is where they can hangout and make their labadas,” Bachmann said.
