The 228 Filipino medalists in the 24 th Southeast Asian Games received welcome news yesterday, following the announcement of Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez that their incentives will be turned over on Saturday.

Ramirez said the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation has approved the release of P10.3 million as incentives for the medallists.

He said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will hand the incentives to the athletes at Malacañang on Saturday.

“The President who is our No. 1 sports fan wants to give our athletes a merry Christmas by giving our athletes their incentives before Dec. 25,” Ramirez was quoted as saying in a Philippine News Agency report.

Based on the Incentives 9064 or the Athletes' Incentives Act, A SEAG gold medalist stands to receive P100,000, while silver and bronze winners will get P50,000 and P30,000, respectively, the same report said.

Arroyo will also give additional incentives apart from what was stipulated in the law, the PNA report added.

Coaches will receive half of the incentives of the medallists, increasing the amount to P15 million, Ramirez said, although the mentors will still need certification from their respective National Sports Association before getting their reward.

Swimmer Miguel Molina is expected to receive the biggest incentive among the athletes with his three individual golds, one team gold, one silver and a bronze. Molina was also awarded $10,000 after he was voted MVP of the SEA Games.

The Philippines ended up in sixth place, its worst finish since joining the Games in 1977. The RP bets bagged 41 golds, 92 silver and 96 bronze medals, a far cry from its 113-gold haul when it won the overall title two years ago.

Ramirez said there is a lot of room for improvement, noting that the Philippines came second to Thailand in the number of medals.

“We will certainly thresh out the issues with sports leaders,” he said. But Ramirez said the PSC also remains focused on winning the country's first gold in the Olympics.*

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