Athletes Competing in Youth Olympic Games to Get Incentives

Manila (PNA) — Filipino athletes competing in new sporting events like the Youth Olympic Games may soon enjoy the benefits and incentives, which are given to other athletes in international competitions.

Rep. Terry L. Ridon (Partylist, Kabataan) filed House Bill 4915, which amends RA 9064, also known as National Athletes, Coaches and Trainers Benefits And Incentives Act of 2001.

Ridon said RA 9064 only covers the national athletes who are representing the Philippines in the international sports competitions. It grants cash and other non-monetary benefits and incentives only to national athletes and their coaches.

Ridon cited the case of Filipino archer Gabriel Luis Moreno, who recently bagged the nation’s first gold medal in the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

Ridon said Moreno did not get any incentive from the government since RA 9064 does not cover the competition.

“The bill seeks to correct the law that strictly defined international competition and thus barred national athletes competing in new sporting games from enjoying the benefits that they so deserve,” Ridon said.

Under the proposed “Sports Benefits and Incentives Act,” gold medalists in the Olympic games will get P5 million, P3 million for world championship, P1 million for continental games and P100,000 for regional games.

The silver medalists in the Olympic games will receive P2.5 million, P1million for world championship, P700,000 for continental games and P50,000 for regional competitions.

The bronze medalists will get P1 million in Olympic games, P50,000 for world championships, P150,000 for continental games and P10,000 for regional games. (PNA) CTB/HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES-PR/PJN