HEROES’ WELCOME SA ASIAD MEDALISTS

PARARANGALAN ang mga Filipino athlete na nagwagi ng medalya sa katatapos na 19th Asian Games sa Hangzhou, China sa isang grand heroes’ welcome sa Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RMSC) sa Manila.

Pormal itong inanunsiyo ng Office of the President noong Linggo kay Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Richard Bachmann, kung saan ang seremonya ay tatampukan ng presensiya ng Pangulo at dadaluhan nina Games gold medalists’ EJ Obiena ng athletics, Meggie Ochoa at Annie Ramirez ng jiu-jitsu, at ng Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team.

“We, at the PSC, express our sincerest gratitude to the President in recognizing the victorious stint of our athletes in this year’s Asian Games. His Excel- lency’s gesture, together with the proactive support of the national government, will go a long way in the continued success of Team Philippines in inter- national competitions to come,” sabi ni Bachmann, na tinanggap ang balita ha- bang sinusuportahan ang huling Filipino athlete na sumasabak sa Hangzhou.

Inimbitahan din sa selebrasyon sina silver medalists Eumir Marcial ng box- ing at Arnel Mandal ng wushu, kasama sina bronze medalists Patrick King Perez ng taekwondo, Jones Inso, Gideon Pad- ua at Clemente Tabugara Jr. ng wushu, Alex Eala at Francis Alcantara ng tennis, Patrick Coo ng cycling, Elreen Ando ng eeightlifting, Kaila Napolis ng jiu-jitsu, Sakura Alforte ng karate, at ang Men’s Sepak Takraw Team.

“Our four golds, two silvers, and 12 bronzes were enough for us to be on the 17th rank among 45 competing nations.

We also overcame the 19th overall finish on the last edition of the quadrennial meet held in Indonesia in 2018,”dagdag ni Bachmann.

Inatasan din ang iba pang government agencies tulad ng Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Education (DepED), at Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) na maging bahadi ng selebrasyon.

Ang mga Filipino athlete na nagwagi ng medalya sa Asian Games ay tatanggap ng cash incentives mula sa pamahalaan sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 10699, na kilala rin bilang National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.’

CLYDE MARIANO