Will they turn out as forgotten heroes?

Negrense athletes who bagged medals during the 2007 Southeast Asian Games have yet to receive their incentives almost two months after winning medals in the Southeast Asian Games in Nakhon Ratchasima , Thailand .

“They might think that we are greedy. We're getting used to broken promises,” SEA Games women's boxing silver medalist, Mitchel Martinez, said last night.

Martinez , the lightweight titlist during the 2005 Asian women's boxing championships, recalled that early last month before she returned to her training base Manila , she was asked by an official at the Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol, how much she wanted as incentive.

‘EMBARRASSING'

“Of course, it would be embarrassing, if we name the price of our medals,” she added.

Until then, Martinez said she has not heard from the Capitol about the reward, which was promised to them when they paid a courtesy call in Jan. 3.

It was Acting Gov. Isidro Zayco who met with the group of athletes that also included three-time SEA Games hammer throw champion Arniel Ferrera, boxing silver medalist Junel Cantancio and runner Julius Sermona, who bagged two silvers in Thailand.

The situation, Martinez said, was quite similar to what happened to her and 2005 SEA Games boxing medalist Mark Jason Melliguen two years ago when they also appeared before the Bacolod City Mayor's Office.

“They told us they will still discuss about our incentives. But they never got back to us,” she said.

RECOGNIZED BY BAGO CITY

Martinez , who hails from Bago City , said she has represented Bacolod City and Negros Occidental since her high school years. She was a former Palarong Pambansa gold medalist in shotput, while studying at Bacolod City National High School .

Martinez said her fellow Negrense medalists have asked about the incentives from the provincial government.

“We just laugh about it now,” she said. “But I fear this incident could affect the morale of some of our young athletes,” she added.

Martinez expressed elation over the move of the Bago City government, which also recognized their achievement.

NO WORD FROM BACOLOD

Bacolod-born Albert Pabila, a bronze medalist in the SEA Games, said nobody from the Bacolod City Government has contacted him on a possible recognition or incentive.

The other medalists from Bacolod are basketball standout Jeffrei Chan, part of the champion cage squad, golfer Anya Tanpinco of Bacolod City , who won two silvers, and taekwondo bronze winner Carlos Padilla V.

OTHER WINNERS

Completing the roster of boxing medalists are silver winners Larry Semillano, Joegin Ladon and Junie Tizon of Bago City and Godfrey Castro of Cadiz City and bronze medalist Bill Vicera of Bago.

Also striking golds were judoka John Baylon of Binalbagan, softbelles Nelsa Delagente, Yocel Aguilar, Mary Joy Lasquite, Sheirylou Valenzuela, Sarah Jane Agravante and Cloiene Muyco.

Rosie Villarito of Cauayan also took silver. The other bronze winners are Arnold Villarube of Escalante, Joebert Delicano of Victorias .

REWARDS FOR PALARO MEDALISTS

The Negros Occidental Provincial Government actually rewards individual Palarong Pambansa medalists. Gold medalists receive P5,000, while silver and bronze winners are given P3,000 and P1,000, respectively.

The Orienal Negros provincial government also allotted P57,000 as incentives for its SEA Games medalists.*CPT

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