A proposed ordinance seeking to grant cash incentives for amateur athletes in La Trinidad, Benguet who will win in regional, national and international amateur sporting events gets support from the town council.
Proponent councilors Apolinario Bagano, Jr. and Guiller Galwan said the ordinance covers athletes and their coaches who won gold, silver, or bronze medals and who were duly endorsed and recognized by the sangguniang kabataan and the municipal government to represent La Trinidad in any official regional, national, or international competitions.
The ordinance aims to grant individual and team event winners.
Individuals winning in the regional games will receive P1,000 for bronze; P1,200 for silver; and P1,500 for gold.
For winners in national games, the incentives will be P3,000 for bronze; P5,000 for silver; and P7,000 for gold while the winners in international games will get P5,000 for bronze; P7,000 for silver; and P17,000 for gold.
In the team event, those winning in the regional games will receive P1,250 for bronze; P1,500 for silver; and P2,000 for gold while the prizes for national game winners are P7,000 for bronze; P10,500 for silver; and P15,000 for gold.
The incentives for winners in international tournaments are P15,000 for bronze; P20,000 for silver; and P25,000 for gold.
The proposed ordinance will also cover athletes representing the town through demonstration of sports such as martial arts, dance sports, and ice skating, among others.
For exhibition event participants, each participant and their coach will receive 50 percent of those received by competing athletes.
“The winning athlete and their coach are entitled to claim the cash incentive no more than once in every level of competition every year. Provided, that such athlete shall in no case claim more than twice in case of an athlete participating in multiple events,” the proposed ordinance reads.
Coaches who handle the athletes who received medals or trophies in two or more events under the same sports category will be able to claim one cash incentive only, whichever is higher.
The proposed ordinance defines amateur events as those that do not offer monetary subsidy or offer financial benefit to participating athletes and coaches for their participation.
These are events organized or sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, National Sports Authority, barangays, Department of Interior and Local Government or Department of Education and other official sports associations, and organizations which covers amateur sports.
Galwan said the ordinance would still be refined with the amount of incentives and definitions, once the regular operation of the municipal local government resumes. – Ofelia C. Empian
April 25, 2024
