Cebu City CVIRAA medalists: Mayor Garcia to give them cash incentives

Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia poses with a group photo with the Cebu City athletes. | Photo from the Cebu City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has announced that the city will reward Cebu City Niños’ medalists from the recently concluded 2025 Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) meet in Bayawan City.

The Niños successfully defended their overall title, amassing 105 gold medals, 89 silvers, and 73 bronzes in the week-long competition, which served as a qualifier for the 2025 Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Norte.

During his speech on Monday, March 24, Garcia expressed surprise when he asked the audience—many of whom were CVIRAA medalists—whether previous administrations had provided them with cash incentives for their achievements.

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To his astonishment, someone from the crowd shouted that they had received none in the past.

Moved by this revelation, Garcia immediately announced that he would instruct Cebu City Administrator Christine Batucan to release the corresponding cash incentives to the medalists by next week.

“Nakadawat ba mo og incentives sa CVIRAA? Never! No mayor gave you incentives in the past? Wala?” Garcia asked.

(Have you received incentives for the CVIRAA? Never! No mayor gave you incentives in the past? None?)

“At this point in time, I’m going to instruct our city administrator that next week, the City of Cebu will release the incentives for all medalists,” he said.

Incentives for medalists

Individual gold medalists will receive ₱5,000, silver medalists ₱3,000, and bronze medalists ₱2,000. For team events, gold medal-winning teams will be awarded ₱10,000, silver medalists ₱7,000, and bronze medalists ₱5,000.

Garcia also pledged continued support for the athletes as they gear up for this year’s Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Norte.

“We hope and pray that we will give all our support when you compete in this year’s Palarong Pambansa,” Garcia added.

The incentives are expected to serve as both a morale booster and financial aid for Cebu City’s athletes, who have long been the backbone of Region 7 (Central Visayas), which placed fifth in last year’s Palarong Pambansa held in Cebu City.