Champion Pinoy paddlers seek Palace aid

FILE: Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announces during a press briefing in Malacañang on July 19, 2018 that the Landbank of the Philippines, the Department of Agrarian Reform, and the Department of Agriculture have launched the Accessible and Sustainable Lending Program for Small Farmers. The program aims to increase the income of small farmers, especially the Agrarian Reform beneficiaries, by providing them with financial assistance for their agricultural needs at a low interest rate of 6% per annum. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – Members of the Philippine Canoe Kayak Dragon Boat Team has asked Malacañang that they be given well-deserved incentives for winning the overall title of the 2018 International Canoe Federation (ICF) World Dragon Boat Championships held in Georgia, United States on Sept. 13-16.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday introduced the triumphant Filipino paddlers during his regular Palace press briefing.

“Dumating po sila sa aking tanggapan, para humingi ng tulong. Kasi humihingi sila na bigyan din sila ng incentive ng Philippine Sports Commission. (They went to my office to ask help because they are asking that they will also be given incentives by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC),” Roque said.

“So nanawagan tayo sa PSC, nanalo naman po sila ng world championship, sana mabigyan din sila ng incentive ng mga atleta na nanalo po sa Asian games (So we appeal to the PSC that since they also won in the world championships, I hope they will also be given incentives like our athletes who won in Asian Games),” he added.

The Philippine dragon boat team upset their taller and well-built opponents from 12 powerhouse countries, including host US squads, to emerge overall champion with four gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

The paddlers surpassed their best finish of four golds and one silver in Moscow, Russia in 2016.

“Natutuwa po kami kasi siyempre ang lalaki po ng kalaban namin, hindi po ine-expect na mananalo kami, saka mga Amerikano po iyon, kami ang liliit po namin (We are very happy because we won against our taller opponents, we did not expect to win, they were Americans. We lacked in height),” veteran Filipino paddler Hermie Macarañas told Palace reporters.

“Laking karangalan na nanalo po kami. Nai-angat po namin ang banderang Pilipinas po sa Georgia, USA po (It’s a big honor that we won and raised the Philippine flag in Georgia, USA),” he added.

Reymart Nevado, another team member, thanked the Filipino community in Georgia for cheering for them during the competition.

“The Filipino community there were very proud of us,” Nevado said.

Roque said he will ask President Rodrigo Duterte if he could also give incentives to the Filipino dragon boat team.

Last month, Duterte gave PHP2 million additional incentives — PHP1 million each from the Office of the President and the PSC — to the gold winners of the prestigious 18th Asian Games held recently in Indonesia.

The PHP2 million was on top of the PHP2 million that gold winners got under Republic Act 10699, also known as “National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act”.

The Asian Games gold winners received at least PHP8 million each, including PHP2 million from the Philippine Olympic Committee, another PHP1 million from Siklab Foundation head Dennis Uy, and PHP1 million from Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Lee Hiong Tan Wee.

The Philippines won four golds, two silvers and 15 bronzes in the Asian Games, besting its 1-3-11 finish in 2014 meet in South Korea.

RA 10699 also provides PHP1 million incentive for gold winners of world-level competitions being held at least every two years but the sports event should have at least 45 participating countries.

The World Dragon Boat Championships in Georgia was participated by 12 teams.