MASAYANG ipinagdiwang ang Olympic Day nitong Biyernes sa University of the Philippines Track and Field Oval kung saan tinanggap ng mahigit 70 national athletes na nagwagi ng medalya sa Cambodia Southeast Asian Games ang kanilang cash bonuses mula sa Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).
Ang POC incentives ay hinugot mula sa suporta ng Manuel V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation (MVPSF) sa POC Trust Fund na pinasimulan ng presidente nito na si Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
“The POC is so grateful with Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan for his continuous generosity to help our athletes o excel in their respective sports through the years,” wika ni Tolentino. “The athletes are very thankful and they promise us to do their best in future competitions.”
May kabuuang 260 medalists sa Cambodia ang tatanggap ng cash bonuses simula sa susunod na linggo hanggang sa katapusan ng buwan sa POC offices sa loob ng PhilSports Complex sa Pasig City.
Pormal na tinurnover ni MVPSF executive director Jude Turcuato ang tseke para sa bonuses kina Caballero at POC deputy secretary-general for international affairs Bones Floro matapos ang ceremonial Olympic Day walk-and-run at Zumba presentation ng mga miy- embro ng Special Olympics Philippines.
“It’s a good fit for us because the MVPSF was built for the athletes to win medals for the country,” ani Turcuato. “We
are celebrating now the Olympic Day and it’s a good timing. We want to thank our athletes as well for giving their best.”
Ang individual gold medalists ay tatanggap ng tig-P100,000; silver medalists, P50,000; at bronze medalists, P25,000, ayon kay POC deputy secretary-general Karen Tanchancho-Caballero.
Ang mga medalist sa team sports ay tatanggap din ng bonus.
Nakiisa sina dating long jump queen Elma Muros-Posadas, 1992 Olympics taekwondo bronze medalist Stephen Fernandez at1992 Olympics boxing bronze medalist Roel Velasco sa selebrasyon kasama si UP College of Human Kinetics Dean Francis Carlos “Kiko” Diaz.
Ang Olympic Day ay taunang idinaraos ng national Olympic commit- tees bilang pagdiriwang sa pagkakatatag ng International Olympic Committee ni Baron Pierre de Coubertin noong June 23, 1894.
-CLYDE MARIANO