MANILA, October 10 ------ Triumphant Filipino athletes who competed in the 19th Asian Games will be honored with a heroes' welcome at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RMSC) in Manila. This was communicated by the Office of the President on Sunday to Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Richard Bachmann.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to attend the ceremony, which will highlight the achievements of gold medalists EJ Obiena (pole vault), Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez (jiu-jitsu) and the Gilas Pilipinas men's basketball team. "We at the PSC express our sincerest gratitude to the President in recognizing the victorious stint of our athletes in this year’s Asian Games. His Excellency’s gesture, together with the proactive support of the national government, will go a long way in the continued success of Team Philippines in international competitions to come," said Bachmann.
Also invited in the celebration are silver medalists Eumir Marcial (boxing) and Arnel Mandal (wushu), as well as bronze medalists Patrick King Perez (taekwondo), Jones Inso, Gideon Padua and Clemente Tabugara Jr. (wushu), Alex Eala and Francis Alcantara (tennis), Patrick Coo (cycling), Elreen Ando (weightlifting), Kaila Napolis (jiu-jitsu), Sakura Alforte (karate) and the men's sepak takraw team. "Our four golds, two silvers, and 12 bronzes were enough for us to be on the 17th rank among 45 competing nations. We also overcame the 19th overall finish on the last edition of the quadrennial meet held in Indonesia in 2018," said Bachmann.
Other government agencies like the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Education (DepED), and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) are also being tapped to be part of the celebration. Filipino athletes who captured medals in the Asian Games are entitled to receive cash incentives from the government under Republic Act No. 10699, also known as the "National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act."
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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