SPREADING the holiday cheer, the Philippine Sports Commission will release a P10,000 cash bonus each to all the athletes and coaches in the national pool this week, according to Commissioner Ramon Fernandez.
“This is our Christmas gift to all our athletes and coaches on top of their regular monthly allowances,” Fernandez said of the PSC board decision approved during its recent meeting presided over by Chairman Butch Ramirez.
Fernandez, the national team chief of mission to the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games, said 626 athletes in 39 sports who are gearing up for the regional meet will remain in the national pool, which is traditionally disbanded at the end of the year.
“The Philippine Olympic Committee has identified the athletes who will compete in the Vietnam SEA Games in Hanoi so they are not affected by the disbandment. They will continue to get financial support from the PSC,” he said.
Fernandez added they are awaiting the list of names for the national pool from their respective National Sports Associations, which were advised as early as last month to submit their rosters to the government sports agency.
He said the PSC is preparing in earnest to accommodate the athletes girding up for both the Vietnam Games and Hangzhou Asian Games in China in September for bubble training at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila and Philsports Complex in Pasig City starting Jan. 10.
