Medalists of Team Cebu City (TCC) in the recently concluded Philippine National Games (PNG) have something to look forward to as Cebu City Councilor Jerry Guardo announced that the Cebu City government will be giving out cash incentives for them.
Guardo told Cebu Daily News that after he talked with Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña last Friday night, they decided to split the P10-million cash assistance that the city will be receiving for being the overall champion in the PNG with a total medal haul of 52 gold medals, 59 silvers and 71 bronzes.
Half of the cash assistance will go to the athletes incentives and the other half will be spent for the sports facilities planned to be constructed in the South Road Properties (SRP), said Guardo.
“I asked Mayor Tom (Osmeña) last Friday evening during a dinner what are we going to use for the P10-million peso cash assistance from PNG and he told me that half of it which is P5-million for the cash incentives of the athletes and half of it for the sports facilities in SRP,” said Guardo.
Cebu City, which was manned by about 400-strong athletes, topped the annual national meet for the first time.
“I will meet with the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) officials this Tuesday to determine the breakdown of the amount of cash incentives for each of the gold, silver, and bronze medalists as well as the team events. We will announce the breakdown of the amount of money we will give to the athletes,” added Guardo.
Team Cebu City’s track and field head coach during the PNG, Arvin Loberanis, earlier told CDN that most of his athletes are waiting for this good news to come. Athletics was the top contributor of gold medals after finishing with a total of 12.
“Maayo unta para malipay pud gamay ang mga bata sa incentives kay para jud to sa Cebu City ilang paningkamot pag PNG,” said Loberanis in vernacular.