After first-ever gold in Youth Olympics, solon wants more incentives for Pinoy athletes

A party-list lawmaker filed a bill on Thurday seeking to expand the coverage of the Sports Benefits and Incentives Act.

 

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon filed the bill in response to archer Gab Moreno winning a gold medal in the Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

 

Under the law, Olympic gold medalists are entitled to receive five million pesos as cash incentive from the government. Moreno, however, will not be given the said bonus because the YOG is not covered by the Act according to the Philippine Sports Commission.

 

“RA 9064 grants cash and other non-monetary benefits and incentives to national athletes and their coaches. However, the 13-year old law has no provision to adjust its scope to cover new sports competitions,” Ridon said.

 

The YOG is established in 2010, nine years after the law was passed in Congress.

 

House Bill 4915 seeks to amend the definition of "international competitions" to include new international sports events such as the YOG. It also provides a retroactive application to ensure previous medalists will be covered by the cash incentive.

 

Moreno won the medal in archery's mixed team event category with Chinese partner Li Jiaman on Sunday. He was also the Philippine's flag carrier in the competition. — JST, GMA News