Rizal Hall, Malacañan Palace
September 12, 2018
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte bestowed incentives to the Filipino medalists in the recently concluded 18th Asian Games in Indonesia during a ceremony held at the Rizal Hall in Malacañang.
In his remarks, the President commended the performance of the athletes and their respective coaches that led to a total medal tally of four (4) gold medals, two (2) silver medals, and 15 bronze medals. These medals translated to the Philippine team’s 19th rank finish out of 45 competing nations.
“I congratulate our athletes and their coaches in bringing honor and recognition to the Philippines in the field of sports. We Filipinos have always been known for our competitive spirit, and this year we did not fall short of showing our traits to our neighbors,” he said.
On top of the incentives that the athletes would receive from the government and various private organizations supporting the Philippine delegation, President Duterte ordered the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to provide extra incentives to further motivate them to excel more in their respective sports programs.
“I have always believed that sports play a crucial role in fostering patriotism among us. The entire country looks forward to your next win as you secure your place in your respective fields and wave our flag, high and proud, for the world to see,” he said.
Among the athletes who were given Presidential Citations for Sports Achievement were gold medalists Ms. Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting competition, Ms. Margielyn Didal of skateboarding, and Ms. Yuka Saso of the Women’s Individual Golf and the Women’s Team Golf. For the silver and bronze medals, the recipients of the Presidential Citation were Mr. Rogen Ladon for boxing and Ms. Agatha Wong of Wushu martial, respectively.
Aside from the pledge of President Duterte, the athletes would also receive cash incentives amounting to PhP 2 million from the PSC, PhP 2 million from the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), PhP 1 million from Siklab Atleta Pilipinas Sports Foundation, and PhP 1 million from the Philippine Embassy in Indonesia.
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