Where are Ilonggo WVRAA, Palaro medalists’ cash incentives?

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Months have passed since Ilonggo athletes brought honor to their province during the Palarong Pambansa, yet the awaited cash incentives remain elusive.

The head of the Sports Division at the Department of Education (DepEd-Iloilo) disclosed to the Daily Guardian that the cash incentives have not yet been disbursed to the Ilonggo medalists who participated in both the Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) meet and the Palarong Pambansa this year.

Even the coaches and trainers of the athletes are yet to receive theirs too.

“That was an awarding ceremony for outstanding coaches. There was no incentive; it was purely a certificate of recognition for their achievement, for the efforts exerted by these coaches, school sports officers, even schools that won as champions,” said Nicasio Valenzuela, Division Sports Officer of DepEd Division of Iloilo.

Valenzuela’s statement comes after the DepEd Tayo Iloilo Province posted photos of the “recognition program for the Palarong Pambansa coaches, assistant coaches, school sports coordinators, and chaperones” at the Goldberry Lite Hotel in Iloilo City on December 12.

“It’s not yet the cash incentives coming from the provincial government. The ones who process the release of incentives are the people in the sports program of the province, not DepEd. We are simply submitting the requirements that they would require us,” he further clarified.

Valenzuela said that according to the Iloilo Sports Development and Management Office, the incentivization documents are currently with the Provincial Accountant’s Office.

“The incentives for Palarong Pambansa, based on the updates given by the people at the sports center… According to them, the documents of the athletes and coaches and those who will be receiving incentives are now in the Provincial Accountant’s Office,” he said.

He added that, based on the information he received from the accountant’s office, the scheduled target date for the release is before the end of December 2023.

Iloilo emerged as the overall champion in elementary, secondary, and para games during the WVRAA meet in Aklan from April 26 to 30.

In the subsequent Palarong Pambansa held in Marikina City from July 31 to August 5, Western Visayas secured the second position in the overall medal tally with 60 golds, 45 silvers, and 44 bronzes, with athletics contributing significantly with 24 golds.

The Iloilo provincial government under its Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-217, will be giving cash incentives to athletes, coaches, and trainers for earning medals in the WVRAA and the Palarong Pambansa.

WVRAA medalists and their coaches and trainers will receive P5,000 for gold, P3,000 for silver, and P2,000 for bronze.

Meanwhile, assistant coaches will receive P3,000 for gold, P2,500 for silver, and P2,000 for bronze; chaperones will receive P2,000 for gold, P1,500 for silver, and P2,000 for bronze.