POC releases mid-year cash bonuses for 31st SEAG medalists

Rubilen Amit

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Good news for Filipino athletes who won medals in last May’s 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Vietnam.

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) announced on Thursday, July 7, 2022, the release of their mid-year cash bonuses amounting to P11.150 million.

The amount will be distributed to the 227 athletes who bagged individual and team medals in the biennial regional games.

“The medalists in Hanoi are in for a surprise,” POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said on Thursday.

“Most of these medalists may not know it yet, but once they check their LandBank accounts, they’ll find out about the bonuses from the POC.”

The MVP Sports Foundation of telco tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan, San Miguel Corp. of President and CEO Ramon S. Ang, and Charlie Gonzales’s Ulticon Builders Inc. were the major benefactors of the cash bonuses which the POC, under Tolentino, has given to SEAG medalists for the second time.

The Philippines capped off its campaign in the 31st SEA Games in fourth place with 52 gold medals, 70 silvers, and 105 bronzes.

Host Vietnam topped the meet with a 205-125-116 (gold-silver-bronze) tally followed by Thailand (92-103-136) and Indonesia (69-91-81).

Out of the 227 Filipino medalists, 11 are Cebuanos who are also assured of the cash bonuses from the POC.

The bonuses are part of the cash incentives originally allocated by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) under Republic Act (RA) 10699 or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.

The Cebuano athletes who are set to receive bonuses are Pearl Marie Cañeda and Wilbert Aunzo (dancesport), Michael Angelo Marquez (dancesport), Alexis Sy (bowling), Rheyjey Ortuoste (sepak takraw), Andrew Kim Remolino and Raven Faith Alcoseba (triathlon), Elreen Ando (weightlifting), Roger Pogoy and June Mar Fajardo (basketball), and Rubilen Amit (billiards).   /rcg

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Cash incentives await SEAG medalists