PARIS Olympics double gold medalist Carlios “Caloy” Yulo was all over since the Team Philippines’ arrival after a 22-hour special flight from Charles de Gaulle to Dubai and finally at the Maharlika Hall inside Villamor Air Base.
A very heart-warming welcome from wildly-cheering school children from the Villamor Elementary School and a full drum-and-bugle corps greeted Yulo, bronze medalists Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, their fellow Olympians and sports officials from the Philippine Olympic Committee and their coaches.
They flew in from Dubai in a chartered Philippine Airlines flight aptly named PR8888 and after landing to a red carpet, everyone in the 49-member flight were treated to a sumptuous dinner at the Maharlika Hall before heading to Malacañang where they were greeted by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and their sons William Vincent and Joseph Simon.
After Malacañang, Yulo and company headed for Hilton Manila where Megaworld’s Kevin Tan hosted a welcome and celebration party for Team Philippines, which, according to POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, cemented a legacy that would be tough to replicate.
Yulo and company weren’t done yet after having partied almost all night long—he’s no Olympic champion for nothing and if a mere mortal went through his activities on Wednesday, anybody’s guess is as good as everyone’s.
Yulo, Petecio and Villegas were honored by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and his fellow representatives with recognitions topped by cash incentives worthy of heroes who did the country proud and underlined the Filipino athlete’s capability to dominate on the global stage.
The 24-year-old was champion in vault and floor in Paris but not in the all-around, his weak event, but he proved he’s an energizer bunny in a hot and humid Wednesday afternoon.
Yulo, Petecio, Villegas, boxers Hergie Bacyadan and Carlo Paalam, swimmers Jarold Hatch and Kayla, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, hurdler Lauren Hoffman and John Cabang Tolentino and weightlifter Elreen Ann Ando were feted in a 7.7-km long parade on the streets of Manila that culminated at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex—where everything started for practically each and every Filipino athlete.
PBBM gifts Yulo and co. P50M
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos awarded a total of P50 million of cash incentives to the Paris Olympics athletes and their coaches in a victory ceremony at the Palace on Tuesday night.
President Marcos doubled the cash prize received by the medalists as mandated by Republic Act (RA) No. 10699 or the National Athletes, Coaches and Trainers Benefits and Incentives Act and even gave incentives even to those who missed the podium in Paris.
Under RA 10699, an athlete will get P10 million for each gold medal and P2 million for each bronze medal won.
Double gold medalist Carlos Yulo got a Presidential Medal of Merit and another P20 million cash incentive, while bronze medalists Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas each received an additional P2 million.
The other athletes in Paris each got P1 million, while their coaches received P500,000.
Marcos noted that the athletes have already achieved a great feat in qualifying for the Olympics, while their coaching staff contributed significantly in the preparations, thus all of them should get incentives even if it is not mandated by law.
“With the gold medalist and the participants already having cash prizes, it will inspire other people,” Marcos said. “This [incentive] will also compensate for the sacrifice [of the athletes] in their training.”
The President said he is also keen in providing not only financial incentives to Filipino athletes, but also help in sports development.
“They did it [win in competitions] on their own, sometimes with the help of others. The government is able to help them in some cases, but there is no formal structure to help the athletes. And that is what we are going to establish right now,” Marcos said.
The other Paris Olympians were gymnasts Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo and Levi Ruivivar; boxers Hergie Bacyadan, Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial; pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena; hurdlers John Cabang-Tolentino and Lauren Hoffman; weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, John Febuar Ceniz, and Elreen Ann Ando; rower Joanie Delgaco; fencer Samantha Catantan; swimmers Kayla Sanchez and Jarod Hatch; swimmers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina; and judoka Kiyomi Watanabe.
Besides the P20 million from President Marcos and the law-mandated P20 million cash bonus, Yulo also got P14.8 million from the House of Representatives and congressmen combines, P3 million and a P35-million condominium unit and P2 million from the City of Manila.
With Samuel P. Medenilla
