Bago mayor vows more support for sports program

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Mayor Nicolas Yulo of Negros Occidental vowed that the city government will increase funding for local sports program, especially the training program for boxing, after two boxers from the won gold medals in their respective events in the recently concluded South East Asean Games.

Gold medalists Rogen Ladon (Men’s Flyweight Division) and James Palicte (Men’s Light Division) received P50,000 each and certificates of recognition from Bago City after a caravan around the city during the Heroes’ Welcome in their hometown on Dec. 12, 2019.

In addition to the incentives from Bago City, the two SEA Games gold medalists will also receive P300,000 in cash reward under Republic Act 10699 (National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act).

“They gave honor to the country and most especially to Bago City,” Yulo said.

Yulo said the two are products of the grassroots boxing training program pioneered by the late mayor Manuel “Tutay” Torres.

“It produced Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco Jr., an Olympic silver medallist,” Yulo said.

He said the local sports training program goes to the barangays to scout for boxing potentials.

Palicte and Ladon, who will soon train to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, said their life experiences and rigid trainings sharpened their skills.

Both also considered the Thai boxers as their strongest opponents.

Ladon, 26, of Barangay Lag-asan, and Palicte, 25, said they are best friends for more than a decade now.

Both are set to meet with President Duterte on Dec 18 in Malacañang to receive another P200,000 in cash incentive.