THE Gilas Pilipinas Magnificent 12 received a total incentive of P12 million or P1 million for each player during the awarding of cash incentives to all medalists of the recent 19th Asian Games.
The players were actually entitled to just 25 percent of the cash incentives for individual medal winners or around P500,000 each since individual gold winners each received P2 million under Republic Act 10699 or the expanded coverage of incentives granted to national athletes and coaches.
But President Marcos Jr was generous enough to double the amount received by all medalists through the Office of the President, guaranteeing members of the Gilas team that ended a 61-year old medal drought in the Asiad at least a P1 million each in cash incentives.
“Sobrang blessed,” said NLEX guard Kevin Alas, a last-minute inclusion in the national men’s team who played a major role in the Philippines 70-60 win over Jordan during the gold medal finals.
With the exception of naturalized players Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame, all Gilas members attended the ‘Gabi ng Parangal at Pasasalamat Para sa Bayaning Atletang Pilipino’ on Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Members of the coaching staff minus head coach Tim Cone – who was indisposed – were also present along with team manager and SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua, deputy team manager Willie Marcial, PBA board chairman Ricky Vargas, and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al S. Panlilio.
SBP Chairman Emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan likewise came over to fete Gilas Pilipinas and the rest of the Asiad medalists, who are also backed by PLDT and Smart.
Cone and the rest of the coaching staff are also entitled to cash incentives – 50 percent for gold – to be divided among themselves in case there are more than one coach.
The national team earlier, was hosted to a lunch by the PBA before going to the event together as a group.
Marcos Jr. was joined during the awarding ceremony – made possible by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) - by Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Richard Bachmann and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham Tolentino.
The POC also guaranteed an added P1 million to all gold medal winners in the Asiad – four in all namely, Gilas Pilipinas (the only team sport), record breaker EJ Obiena of pole vault, and jiu-jitsu bets Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez.
SPIN.ph learned the Gilas team will be hosted to a dinner on Friday courtesy of Pangilinan and SMC president and CEO Ramon S. Ang.
A total of P41.9 million was awarded to all medalists, including P4 million each to gold winners Obiena, Ochoa, and Ramirez.
Silver medal winners Eumir Marcial of boxing and wushu’s Arnel Mandal received P2 million each, while bronze medalists Alex Eala, Francis Alcantara (tennis), Patrick King Perez (taekwondo), Jones Inso, Gideon Padua, and Clemente Tabugara Jr. (wushu), Patrick Coo (cycling), Elreen Ando (weightlifting), Kaila Napolis (jiu-jitsu), Sakura Alforte (karate), and the men’s sepak takraw team each received P800,000.
The 18-year-old Eala though, went home with a total of P1.2 million as she also won a bronze in the mixed doubles event.
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