15th Asian Games

THE Philippine Sports Commission Friday released the cash incentives of coaches whose athletes bagged medals at the recent 15th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.

PSC chair William “Butch” Ramirez released a total of P3.95 million, as promised by President Macapagal-Arroyo to the 13 coaches from seven sports which gave the country a 4-6-9 gold-silver-bronze medal haul—its biggest in 44 years—in the Doha Asiad.

Topping the list of coaches is wushu’s Samson Co, with P750,000 in bonuses for guiding Rene Catalan to the gold and Eduard Folayang to the silver in the men’s Sanshou event.

Ricardo Ancaja and Edgar Asonto of billiards fattened their bank accounts with P500,000 each after Antonio Gabica snared the gold in the 9-ball competitions and the silver in the 8-ball event.

Jeffrey de Luna’s 9-ball silver—after he lost to Gabica—also contributed to the cash incentive of both coaches.

“The coaches are very well deserving of these incentives as much as the athletes are,” said Ramirez. “They have also sacrificed a lot and it is only befitting that we also honor and recognize their achievements.”

Boxing’s Patricio Gaspi, Nolito Velasco and Ronald Chavez received P366,666 each for helping Joan Tipon and Violito Payla win the gold, on top of the bronze medals won by Godfrey Castro and Genebert Basadre.

The incentives were provided by the government under Republic Act 9064. Known as the Sports Incentives Act, RA 9064 grants P1 million for gold, P500,000 for silver and P100,000 for bronze medalists in the Asian Games.

Under the same law, coaches are entitled to 50 percent of the athletes’ earnings, which will also come from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

Karatedo’s David Lay earned P250,000 and his deputy Victolito Luna got P50,000 for leading Maria Mama Pabillore to the silver and Noel Espinosa to the bronze.

Stephen Fernandez, Roberto Cruz and Raul Samson of taekwondo lined their pockets with P216,666.67 each while Martin Misa of tennis and golf’s Antonio Lopez earned P100,000 and P50,000, respectively.

The incentives of the coaches came after the 18 athletes who snared medals in the Doha Asiad received a total of P13.5 million, as provided by RA 9064, and the added bonuses doled out by the President.