Cebuano SEA Games gold medalists share plans for their cash incentives

Cebu City athletes who clinched medals in the 30th Southeast Asian Games pose with Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella on Monday, December 16, 2019. They are (from left to right) Wilbert Aunzo, Pearl Marie Cañeda, Lois Kaye “LK” Go, Mary Joy Tabal, and Margielyn Didal. The athletes were commended for their performances in the biennial meet. | Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — “Savings for the future.” 

This is the common reply of some of the Cebuano gold medalists who will be receiving huge amounts of cash incentives for their performance in the recently held 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG).

Wilbert Aunzo, who together with his long-time dancesport partner Pearl Marie Cañeda accounted for three gold medals, said that they would be saving the money for their future as well as sharing some with their respective families.

“We will save it for our future, put it in the bank,” said Aunzo.

Aunzo and Cañeda handed three gold medals to the Philippines on the first day of SEAG competition after dominating in the Latin Single Dance Samba, Latin Single Dance Chachacha and Latin Single Dance Rumba.

With three gold medals, the duo will share close to P3 million in cash incentives.

Under Republic Act (RA) 10699 known as the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act, a SEAG gold medal will earn an athlete P300,000.

Earlier, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino had also committed to match the financial reward under RA 10699. However, last Saturday, he announced that POC would hand P200,000 for each gold medal.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has also announced that a SEAG gold medal is worth P250,000 from the Office of the President.

And, Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has increased the gold medal incentive of a Cebu City athlete to P200,000 from an initial P100,000.

Aside from Aunzo and Cañeda, other gold medalists coming from Cebu City are gymnast Daniela Reggie dela Pisa and skateboarder Margielyn Didal, among others.

Dela Pisa said that she would also be saving her cash incentive for her future upon the advice of her mother Darlene, who is her first coach.

Dela Pisa clinched a gold medal via the Hoop event of Rhythmic Gymnastics and two bronze medals via the ball and clubs events.

Didal, for her part, likewise said that she would add her SEAG cash incentives to her savings and spend some on the house that she would be building for her family.

Didal handed the Philippines two gold medals via the Game of Skate and Street Skate events of Skateboarding.

While all three have won international competitions including a gold medal for Didal in the Asian Games, it is their first time to represent the Philippines in the SEA Games which the Philippines hosted from November 30 to December 11./dbs