Ni ANN ENCARNACION
BILANG pasasalamat sa kanilang magiting na kampanya sa 2020+1 Olympics, pagkakalooban ng Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) at MVP Sports Foundation ng kalahating milyong piso (P500,000) ang bawat atletang Pilipino na nabigong makasungkit ng medalya sa Tokyo.
“The non-medalists in the Tokyo Olympics will receive incentives of P500,000 each. No one will be left behind,” sabi ni POC president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
Naniniwala ang POC at MVP Sports Foundation ni business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan na karapat-dapat bigyan ng insentibo maging ang non-medalists na miyembro ng Team Pilipinas.
Kabilang sa mga hindi pinalad makapag-uwi ng Olympic medal sina rower Cris Nievarez, taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa, skateboarder Margielyn Didal, shooter Jayson Valdez, gymnast Carlos Yulo, boxer Irish Magno, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, weightlifter Elreen Ann Ando, golfer Juvic Pagunsan, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, sprinter Kristina Knott at swimmers Remedy Rule at Luke Gebbie.
“Everyone on Team Philippines in these ‘Golden Olympics’ deserve all the praises, and in this case, incentives, they need,” sabi ng POC chief. “Qualifying for the Olympics is already that difficult, what more competing in the Games themselves.”
Sa ngayon ay may apat na Olympic medals na ang bansa, kabilang ang kauna-unahang gold kaloob ni weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, at bronze mula kay middleweight boxer Eumir Marcial.
Mayroon din silver medal ang Pilipinas mula kay boxer Nesthy Petecio, at tiyak na rin ang isa pang silver mula sa kapwa boksingerong si Carlo Paalam, na maaaring maging ikalawang gold medalist ng bansa kung mananalo sa finals ng men’s flyweight.
Samantala, kasalukuyan pang nakikipagtagisan ang dalawang Pinay golfers na sina Bianca Pagdanganan at Yuka Saso.
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