Filipino athletes headed for Paris Olympics to receive P1.5 million each as 'additional funding'
Whether they win or lose, the Filipino athletes who have secured a spot to the 2024 Paris Olympics won't be coming home empty-handed as they will each be given at least P1.5 million before they leave to compete.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Richard Bachmann said that a group of senators have pledged at least P30 million to hand out to the 15 Olympic-bound athletes as "additional funding." This includes P23 million from Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
"For additional funding, I know Sen. Bong Go committed funding to the athletes who qualified and also to Sen. Risa Hontiveros. Basically[,] she funded and I asked her to grow that fund because we [already have] 15 athletes, so we have like P23 million that would be given to those athletes who qualified," Bachmann said during the forum of the Philippine Sportswriters Association.
"P23 million is only from Sen. Risa. Sen. Bong Go has a figure already, may additional siya. There’s also additional from other senators direct to the athletes already na pinasa lang sa PSC. Siguro mga P30 million plus," he added.
Go previously announced that he plans to give each athlete a funding of P500,000.
The P30 million pledge is different from the proceeds that would be generated from the PSC Golf Cup that will take place on June 14 at the Canlubang Golf and Country Club in Laguna.
"All proceeds will go to the athletes who qualified [for] the Olympics as additional support that would be divided equally. That’s around P2 million," Bachmann said.
As of writing, the Filipino athletes who will compete in the event are Filipino boxers Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas, Eumir Marcial, Carlo Paalam, and Hergie Bacyadan, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnasts Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan, Levi Jung-Ruivivar and Emma Malabuyo, rower Joanie Delgaco, fencer Sam Catanta, and weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, Elreen Ando, and John Ceniza.
According to Bachmann, it is possible that the total number of athletes to fly to the Olympics may increase to 19 if others can qualify in swimming, athletics, judo, and shooting, among others.
The 2024 Paris Olympics will be held from July 26 to Aug. 11 in France.
