March 29, 2024

Baguio City and Benguet are prepa-ring the cash incentives to be given to athletes and coaches who saw action in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia and other recent international sporting events.

Baguio City has a total of 38 medalists while Benguet listed 26 athletes including coaches who won gold, silver, and bronze medals during the SEAG, the IFMA Senior World Championships, and the Asian Senior Kurash Championships.

PROUD UB ATHLETES — The University of Baguio management led by President Javier Herminio Bautista and Athletic Director Henry Batocong recognized UB athletes who represented the institution and the country in the recent 32nd Southeast Asian Games and Islay Bomogao, the first female Filipino Muay Thai world champion, for their excellent athleticism in their respective sports. — UB photo

City Sports Development Coordinator Gaudencio Gonzales said there are eight gold medalists, 13 silver medalists, and 17 bronze medalists in the SEAG.

Aside from the SEAG, Islay Erika Bomogao, with her gold and silver medal-winning performances during the IFMA and coach Edzel Ngina will be given incentives. 

The estimated cash incentive for city athletes is P1.3 million.

For now, they are still determining the SEAG coaches to be included in the list.

In the city ordinance, each gold medalist and their coach will receive P60,000 while silver medalists get P40,000 and bronze medalists get P20,000 each.

Meanwhile, Benguet Sports Development Coordinator Dean Mark Monang said there are 19 athletes and two coaches who will receive incentives from the province for their performances in the SEAG.

Also, for the IFMA, the province will award Bomogao as well as April Joy La Madrid, with the latter bagging silver in the under-21 Wai Kru. IFMA coaches to be awarded are Ngina and Zaidi Laruan.

Charmea Quelino will also receive a cash incentive for winning a silver medal in the Asian Senior Kurash Champ and World Kurans Series Qualifier. 

Monang said the athletes and coaches to be given incentives from the province worth almost P135,000 are those who have their residence in Benguet and/or those who trace their roots in the province.

Awarding of incentives is on June 13 at the Capitol following a motorcade around town in honor of the athletes and coaches – Ofelia C. Empian