Bongbong Marcos hails Asiad winners, vows support for PH sports
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. honors Filipino athletes who brought home medals from the Asian Games on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. | PHOTO: PCO
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday vowed to support Filipino athletes following the Philippine national athletes’ campaign in Hangzhou Asian Games where they captured four gold, two silver and 12 bronze medals.
“We know and understand that for our athletes to succeed in these competitions, they all need all the help that they can get, especially from their government. And that’s why the Philippine Sports Commission is implementing a Five-Year Sports Development Plan 2023-2028,” said Marcos during the “Gabi ng Parangal at Pasasalamat Para sa mga Bayaning Atletang Pilipino” ceremony in Manila.
Marcos explained that the plan addresses long-standing concerns from Filipino athletes, ensuring support for them on every level.
The President also said that the New Clark City is being developed as a sports hub that athletes could utilize for training.
Marcos also directed government agencies to aid injured athletes.
“I direct the Philippine Sports Commission: Work with Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) and other agencies to strengthen our Medical Scientific Athlete Services unit. We need to help our injured athletes so that they recover quickly and they can get back in the game.”
During the ceremony, Marcos lauded the national athletes who bagged medals from the recent Asiad.
As mandated by law, gold medalists in international competitions will receive P2 million from Pagcor, while silver and bronze medalists will get P1 million and P400,000, respectively.
The Office of the President matched these amounts as a bonus, effectively doubling the winning athletes’ incentives.
