SAN Miguel Corp. President Ramon S. Ang will award Tokyo Olympics medalists, led by the country’s first gold medal winner, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, a total of P22 million in incentives for accomplishing the Philippines’ best Olympic performance in 97 years of competing in the world’s biggest sporting stage.
Ang’s “personal gift” or incentives to the winning athletes, as earlier announced by the Philippine Olympic Committee, will be as follows: P10 million for Diaz, P5 million each for boxers Carlo Paalam and NesthyPetecio for winning silver medals, and P2 million for boxer EumirMarcial’sbroze finish.
“As a longtime partner and supporter of Philippine sports, I’m so happy for our athletes. All their hard work paid off. They’ve opened the eyes of so many Filipinos sports patrons, fans, and aspiring athletes that indeed, we Filipinos can compete and win against the best in the world in the Olympics. This is just the beginning. We have the momentum. We can only get stronger in the succeeding Olympics,” Ang said.
“I’m especially grateful to Hidilyn, whom we’ve supported for several years now, for giving honor to the country by winning our very first Olympic gold medal. We can build on these successes to develop stronger sports programs and produce more Olympic winners like Hidilyn, Carlo, Nesthy, and Eumir,” Ang said.
Ang added the Olympic athletes, as well as their coaches and teams, gave the Philippines more than just medals.
“The message of this Olympic campaign for us Filipinos is clear. We are resilient in the face of challenges and we do not back down from adversity. This pandemic is perhaps one of the greatest challenges in our lifetime. Thank you Hidilyn, Carlo, Nesthy, and Eumir for giving us hope and inspiration during this critical time. You showed us that nothing is impossible,” Ang said.
Ang said that while the Olympics showcased the outstanding athletic feats that fullytrained athletes are capable of, it also serves as a reminder that people are not limited, and that Filipinos should endeavor to keep fit and healthy in the face of COVID-19.
“Aside from following health protocols to stop the transmission of the virus and getting vaccinated, we should also do our best to make sure we are mentally and physically fit and healthy during this crisis. I believe that will help us a lot in coping with the stresses of this time,”Ang said.
