Sports
Asian Games gold medalists donate millions to NGAP
FILE: PSC Chairman William Ramirez with our #AsianGames Gold Medalists from the National Women’s Golf Team (Photo: PSC (Philippine Sports Commission)/Facebook)
Golfers Yuka Saso, Bianca Pagdanganan, and LK Go who won gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games set in Jakarta have decided to donate more than P16 million to the National Golf Association of the Philippines’ (NGAP) golf development program.
The amateurs said in a statement, “We unanimously agreed that if it were possible to donate this money to support the national golf program – and thus help other aspiring golfers reach their goals – this would be the best scenario for us. After consulting the world golf governing body, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, we were advised that this was a viable option.”
They also added, “Due to immutable circumstances … we are unable to accept any and all forms of financial reward,” specifying Pagdanganan and Go’s closed contracts as they play for the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. Saso is planning to soon follow.
They continued, “We will automatically lose our amateur status the moment we keep these incentives, as well as the opportunity to continue representing the Philippines in the future.”
In a statement to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, NGAP’s Secretary General Bones Floro responded to the donation saying, “We were touched by the decision of the girls to donate their cash incentives to our golf development program.”
He also told Rappler, “I foresee that much of it shall be towards the grassroots program wherein undiscovered talents due to their financial inability shall be developed.”
This decision coincidentally followed President Rodrigo Duterte’s announcement of doubling the P1 million incentive for the gold medalist athletes of the Asian Games under the Republic Act 106. The girls spoke out after the incentive announcement extending their gratitude and believing in the genuine purpose of the reward, which is to nurture Filipino talent in athletics.
