PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur - For the second straight year, the first gold medal of the Palarong Pambansa went to Eastern Visayas thanks to Chrisia Mae Tajarros.
The 14-year-old, Grade 10 student of Tanauan National High School in Leyte extended her reign in the secondary girls' 3000m race by logging a time of 10:04.76, 12 seconds better than silver medalist Angel Lumacang who clocked in at 10:16.24 on Monday morning at the Datu Lipus Makapandong Governor D.O. Plaza Sports Complex here.
Tajarros also slashed 14 seconds off of her own time when she broke through to the title in Laoag, Ilocos Norte a year ago.
"Naging confident lang po ako na kaya ko. Nag-training lang po ulit ako," she said, as she now has a shot at a rare three-peat come next year. "Ang pangarap ko po kasi, makapag-Olympics na bata pa."
In keeping her crown, the middle-distance runner also became the first athlete to secure the Philippine government's newly instituted rewards program for medalists in the Palarong Pambansa.
As made official in the opening ceremony last Sunday, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) guaranteed incentives totaling P10M to each podium finisher in every event. As such, for the first time in the over six-decade history of the annual showcase of student-athlete talent, gold medalists will take home P5,000, as silver and bronze winners will get P3,000 and P2,000, respectively.
"Masaya akong ibalita sa inyo na sa unang pagkakataon, maglalaan ang PSC ng mga incentives para sa mga medalists bilang pagkilala sa inyong husay," President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a video message of the program also to be assisted by the Department of Education.
Fuel to the fire
"Upang makatulong sa training ng atleta at sa gastos ni papa at mama. Maliit na halaga lang po ito sa dami ng lalahok at mananalo; this is just a sincere gesture from our government," said PSC Chair Patrick Gregorio.
"These incentives will likewise help motivate our young student-athletes to strive harder and train more dilligently. Tulong upang maabot ang kanilang pangarap."
Indeed, these incentives are much welcome for promising prospects such as Tajarros, who also has an older sister competing in the weightlifting event.
"Last year, this year, lagi naman po, sila po ang ginagawa kong inspirasyon," she said, talking about her father, a fish vendor, mother, a housewife, and three siblings.
Over 13,000 student-athletes across 35 sports are eligible for the historic incentives in the 66th Palarong Pambansa.
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