Gov. Hilario Davide III (right) leads the distribution of cash incentives for Cebu Province athletes who won in the recent CVIRAA meet. With him at the Eco-Tech Center in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City is Provincial Board Member Christopher Baricuatro (center).
contributed
AFTER BRINGING pride to Cebu province, it was the athletes’ turn to reap their reward.
At least 136 athletes who earned a medal in the recent Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) meet received cash incentives from the Cebu Provincial Sports Commission (CPSC) in a ceremony held last Tuesday at the Eco-Tech Center in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.
Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III, CPSC executive director lawyer Ramil Abing and Provincial Board member Christopher Baricuatro led the distribution of incentives together with some mayors and top officials of the Department of Education in the province.
Gold medalists received P1,000 cash while the silver and bronze medalists got P800 and P600, respectively.
Coaches were also given cash incentives, with the amounts depending on the number of medals won by the athletes they trained. The CPSC also handed out medals in recognition of the athletes’ efforts and hard work in training.
Full support
“Your provincial government is so proud of you. I’m sure your coaches, schools and parents are also so proud of you. This is the best finish for Cebu province in the history of CVIRAA so far, ” Davide said in his speech.
“Next year, we will try our best to become number one.”
This year’s meet saw the Cebu province finished second with 43 gold, 46 silver and 47 bronze medals, improving their lackluster performance in 2016, where they wound up fourth place in the final tally.
The governor assured the athletes that the provincial government would give full support to the province’s sports program.
Davide also tossed some words of encouragement to athletes who will be part of the Central Visayas team for the Palarong Pambansa in Antique later this month.
“I’m confident that the athletes from the province who will be sent to participate in the Palarong Pambansa will shine. To all of you who will see action in the Palarong Pambansa, bring home the bacon, bring home more gold medals for Cebu,” he said.
Danny Perino, a 13-year-old elementary student of Daanbantayan who won a javelin gold medal in athletics, said he is excited to compete in the Palarong Pambansa.
“I will train hard,” he said in Cebuano, adding that he will be unfazed and ready to be pitted against other regions’ top athletes.
Abing, for his part, attributed the CPSC’s intensified grassroots programs as one of the reasons of the strong showing of Cebu province in this year’s meet. /contributed by Kelvin Canizares
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