Best, brightest in Palaro to get incentives

Forty five individual athletes and eleven boys and girls teams from Luzon will receive their monetary awards at noon today as the first part of the bonanza promised by President Joseph Estrada for outstanding performers in the first Palaro ng Bayan held early this year at the SOCSARGEN area.

The long-delayed awards ceremonies will be held at the Holiday Inn Hotel-Manila with San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada, representing the Chief Executive, handing out the incentives to the first batch of recipients.

The second batch of awardees coming from Visayas and Mindanao will follow also in appropriate ceremonies at a time and date to be announced by Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Carlos D. Tuason.

"We apologize for the delay but there was circumstances beyond our control. We hope the athletes and their parents understand the situation we had to go through," Tuason, also chairman of the PnB national coordinating committee, said.

Athletes, according to their individual performances in their respective events, were rated by the National Sports Associations that managed and supervised the conduct of seventeen disciplines at stake in the maiden staging of the games initiated by the San Juan mayor as the national president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP).

All gold medalists – individual or team– were classified accordingly. Only the top three gold medal winners ranked by the NSAs to be the best were picked out to receive cash prizes. Class A performance by an athlete or team in either the League of Cities’ or League of Municipalities’ tournament will receive P50,000, Class B P25,000 and Class C P10,000.

"We want to correct the impression that all gold medalists are entitled to the incentives. Only the top three performances per sport as chosen by the NSAs will receive awards," Tuason explained.

Of the P4.9 million set aside for the cash awards, P1,857,500 will be distributed tomorrow to athletes from the National Capital Region, Northern and Central Luzon, Bicol, Southern Tagalog and the cities of Baguio, Angeles, Dagupan and Naga.

Some of the awardees: NCR–Muntinlupa City–Michael de Guzman, Michael Torres, Beejay Ardiante, Geejay Ardiante, Jaqueline Abiad, Jasmine Moreno, Noel Anthony Quinito. Quezon City–Marissa Lopez, Alfredo Mailon, Cenon Estrada, Jomar Santaigo, Daryl Sandoval, Wendy Marquez, Eden Balotong, and Honey Joy Ortaliz.

Malabon – Jeff Tablante, Boys basketball team and Boys volleyball team. Makati City – Loraine Loreli Catalan, Johnny Tagalo and Boys sepak takraw team. Pasay City – boys basketball team.

Albay – Rey Barias. Angeles City – Boys volleyball team, Boys sepak takraw team. Baguio City – Gerald Gregorio, Marvelous Cortez. Bataan – Jesusa Paguio, Palmera Almira Pagulo. Benguet – Nebres Gaspar, Shirley Say Ocao, Jean Masnan, May Wangdali. Bulacan – Criselda Sarabia, Jay–ar Lacuna. Camarines Sur–Efraim Avestrus, Dykow Mormon, Zyren Adriano, Marissa Mahayhay, Robert Nievres, Rowena Ortega, Girls basketball team. Dagupan City – Claire Montemayor. Isabela–Roman Bella, Rose Ong, Joan Lumanglas, Girls Little League softball team. Naga City – Girls basketball team. Nueva Ecija – Mike Joel Dimalanta, Girls volleyball team, Girls Little League softball team. Masbate –Cerila Santos, Joyce Benguet. Pangasinan – Eddie Cansino, Gilbert Micos. Pampanga – Boys basketball team.