Pinoy champs to get pension, health benefits

MANILA, Philippines - The House committee on youth and sports development approved a bill that grants P15,000 in monthly retirement pension for professional Filipino athletes who won world titles or championships.

Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta party-list Rep. Mark Sambar said the panel also approved the granting of health benefits up to P200,000 per hospitalization to Filipino world champions.

The panel, chaired by Camarines Norte Rep. Renato Unico, also made the measure retroactive to cover all living professional athletes, who have won in any international sports event, Sambar said.

The approval came after the committee consolidated the three bills – House Bills 2094, 38 and 1964 principally authored by Sambar and South Cotabato Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr. and Las Piñas Mark Villar, respectively.

“I personally witnessed how Mexican Antonio Margarito suffered from the blows and punches of Manny Pacquiao. Margarito was beaten up badly. He could hardly open his eyes and had to undergo surgery because of serious cuts in the face. God forbid, if that happens to our athletes and they are not as successful as Pacquiao financially, this bill will be of great help to them when they retire,” Sambar said.

In some cases, he said, Filipino boxers have had risked their lives to bring honor to the country or left them blind or comatose or incapacitated.

The consolidated bill does not only cover the boxing champions but also those in other fields in sports.

Covered by the bill are other professional athletes that have also brought honor to the country such as track-and-field winners Lydia de Vega and Elma Muros-Posadas, bowling  hall-of-famer Paeng Nepumuceno and two-time pool player world champion Efren “ Bata” Reyes, who was dubbed the “magician.”