By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Paris Olympics double gold medalist Carlos Yulo and bronze medal winners Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas wery lucky even on Friday the 13th.
This as the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), a global port management company owned by billionaire Enrique Razon, awarded cash incentives to Filipino athletes who competed and won in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Yulo expectedly received the biggest pie, getting P10 million for winning two gold medals in men’s artistic gymnastics, while boxers Petecio and Villegas were given P2 million each.
The 19 other members of Team PH who did not win medals in the sports’ grandest stage got P200,000 each.
The awarding ceremony was held at the Waterside in Solaire in Pasay City and was presided by Christian Martin Gonzalez, who represented Razon, and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
“Thank you to the ICTSI, Sir Ricky [Razon],” said Yulo, who arrived from Paris, France on Thursday, Sept. 12, after giving morale support to the country’s Para athletes. “Thank you to POC president, Mayor Abraham Tolentino, and we are all hoping they will continue supporting us up to the next Olympics and overseas competitions.”
Gonzalez, ICTSI executive vice president, emphasized how the athletes and sports are important to the country.
“It’s very important for us to support our athletes, it’s very important for our country,” Gonzalez said. “It is something we wanted to do more because of all the hard work that you put in for the last eight or 12 years or your entire life.”
Tolentino, meanwhile, thanked ICTSI for helping the athletes with the cash rewards.
“Our national athletes have performed their very best in the greatest show on earth at the Paris Olympics,” said Tolentino, who initiated the ICTSI’s reward for the Paris Olympians.
Yulo has already received at least P90 million in cash bonuses for his historic feat in Paris.
Also in attendance were judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, weightlifters Vanessa Sarno and John Ceniza, rower Joanie Delgaco, and boxers Eumir Marcial, and Carlo Paalam.
