TOKYO - Philippine boxing's three medalists at the Tokyo Olympics got a pleasant surprise on Sunday as the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) announced that each one would get a house and lot in Tagaytay each.
POC president Bambol Tolentino announced that silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio as well as Eumir Marcial will be awarded the same incentive given to Hidilyn Diaz after the latter's gold medal in weightlifting.
"Pinawisan po ako," Marcial said when told about the incentive during an online press conference on Sunday, planting a kiss on Paalam's cheek.
The announcement cheered up Paalam, just a day after he lost a split decision to Great Britain's Galal Yafai in the gold-medal match.
"Malaking bagay po ito para sa akin at ang pamilya ko," said the soft-spoken boxer, who, until he did well in boxing, used to live with his family of seven in a shanty right next to a landfill in Carmen town in Cagayan de Oro.
The properties from Tolentino are just the latest rewards showered to members of the 19-man Philippine delegation which posted the best finish ever by the country in 97 years of participation in the Olympic Games.
Aside from the medalists, Tolentino also said non-medalists will receive P500,000 each as reward for their hardwork from the POC, courtesy of the MVP Sports Foundation.
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