Medina to Get PHP1-M From Philippine Sports Commission

Table tennis player Josephine Medina will be PHP1 million richer when she comes home after winning the bronze medal at the Rio Paralympics.

The 46-year-old Medina will get the money from the Philippine Sports Commission, the government agency tasked to award cash incentives to national athletes who win medals in international competitions.

Republic Act 10699, which was signed by President Benigno S. Aquino III on Nov. 13, 2015, expands the coverage of incentives granted to national athletes, including those with disabilities, and coaches.

Under the new incentives law, winners in the Olympic Games will receive PHP10 million (gold), PHP5 million (silver) and PHP2 million (bronze); for the Asian Games, the gold medalist will be entitled to PHP2 million, the silver medalist PHP1 million and the bronze medalist PHP400,000; while for the SEA Games, the incentives are PHP300,000 (gold), PHP150,000 (silver) and PHP60,000 (bronze).

For the Paralympic Games, the gold winner will get PHP5 million, the silver medalist PHP2.5 million and the bronze medalist PHP1 million.

“This is truly one of the noblest intentions of the law — to include our winning athletes with disabilities in the grant of cash awards from the government. The term ‘national athletes’ should encompass all athletes, including those who are differently-abled as they undoubtedly deserve bigger incentives and benefits,” said Senator Sonny Angara, who authored the new cash incentive law, in a statement on Wednesday.

Angara also filed a resolution commending Medina, who ended the Philippines’ 16-year drought in the Paralympics.

Medina’s achievement came with Hidilyn Diaz’s silver medal conquest in the Summer Olympics still fresh on every Filipino’s mind.

“This is the first time our Filipino athletes won in both the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games, which is the counterpart of the Olympic Games for athletes with disabilities. Sumakto po ang ating pagpasa ng bagong athletes incentives law dahil talagang napakinabangan ito ng ating mahuhusay at world-class Filipino athletes tulad nina Hidilyn at Josephine (The passing of the new athletes incentives law was timely, enabling our world-class Filipino athletes like Hidilyn and Josephine to benefit from it),” said Angara.

Medal winners in world-level championships held every two years or with at least 45 countries participating and of Asian-level competitions held every two years or with at least 25 countries participating will also get cash incentives.

RA 10699 also entitles athletes, coaches and trainers a 20-percent discount on transportation, hotels and other lodging establishments, restaurants, and purchase of medicine and sports equipment. (PNA) CVL/JTM/EDS