LIST: Rewards That Await Olympic Silver Medalist Nesthy Petecio; Financial Literacy Program For Filipino Athletes Pushed

Filipina boxer  Nesthy Petecio will fly home with a rich windfall after bagging an Olympic silver medal as she lost to hometown bet and rival Sena Irie of Japan via unanimous decision in their featherweight finals on Tuesday, Aug. 3.

Despite the loss, the 29-year-old Petecio still made history for the Philippines by becoming the only Filipina boxer to win a silver medal and only the second female athlete of the Philippines to do so after weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz.

Petecio also became the third Filipino boxer to win the silver medal in the history of the Summer Games, following Anthony Villanueva in 1964 and Onyok Velasco in 1996.

Here are the rewards awaiting Petecio:

• P5 million for being a Olympic silver medalist from the Philippine Sports Commission, as mandated by Republic Act No. 10699 or The National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act signed by the late former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in 2015

• P5 million from Manny V. Pangilinan through the MVP Sports Foundation

• P5 million from Ramon Ang through the San Miguel Foundation

• P2 million from House Deputy Speaker and 1-Pacman party-list Rep. Mikee Romero

• 60,000 Mabuhay miles per year, for life from Philippine Airlines

• Unlimited flights for five years from AirAsia

• P10-million residential condominium unit in One Lakeshore Drive inside the 11.2-hectare Davao Park District in Lanang, Davao City courtesy of Suntrust Properties, Inc., a subsidiary of Andrew Tan’s Megaworld Corporation

• P2.5 million worth of house and lot in Caliya, Candelaria, Quezon province courtesy of Ovialand

“We are very proud of this huge accomplishment of Nesthy Petecio. Her silver medal in the Olympics is a historic one because this women’s featherweight division of boxing debuts only in this Tokyo Olympics, and she is the first silver medalist in this category,” Suntrust Properties Inc. president and lawyer Harrison Paltongan said in a statement.

Financial literacy

Marcus Manalo, mental performance coach of the Philippine boxing team, told “‘Wag Po” on One PH on Monday, Aug. 2, that they’re seeking help from the MVP Sports Foundation to make sure that the athletes who would receive incentives do not end up empty-handed.

Manalo said since these athletes would become “instant millionaires,” “we're already planning financial literacy program for them.”

He explained that it would not be good to just give athletes incentives without a financial literacy program since the money could be easily gone if not properly used.

“Mahirap ‘yung bibigyan mo ng malaking pera tapos hindi nila alam paano gagamitin ‘yon,”  Manalo said, adding this was the reason why he has been reminding the boxers to be wise.

“Kahit ilang milyon ‘yan, madaling maubos ‘yan. Sa kamag-anak pa lang, na dadami ang kamag-anak mo ‘di ba, pati kaibigan. So kailangan maplano ‘yung financial literacy program,” Manalo stressed.

Before Petecio, Diaz also received millions in rewards after clinching the country’s very first Olympic gold medal last July 26.

Filipino boxers Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial are also assured of at least bronze medals following victories in their respective divisions.

According to Manalo, Filipino boxers are highly driven to succeed because of their backgrounds. He said the local boxers determination to win is unquestionable.

“Kasi literally they had to fight, before they went to the national team, they literally had to do boxing or fight in order to put food on the table,” Manalo said.

“So talagang ang lalim ng pinanghuhugutan nito in terms of their drive sa boxing,” he added.

As they go into training and see themselves improve, Manalo said confidence is developed and the “belief that they can successfully perform.” He noted progress comes in terms of techniques and tactics, among others.

Manalo also disclosed that athletes have to be very disciplined. For instance, Petecio was allowed to create social media accounts provided that this would not affect her sleep and training in general.

Manalo said Petecio gets to interact with her supporters through social media “so I think it has a positive effect.” The rule, however, is that by 9 p.m., all the phones would have to be collected to ensure that the athletes would get enough sleep.

Manalo explained sports psychology and proper mindset are important because the “best performance” doesn’t come when a person is experiencing extreme emotions, but “when you're just somewhere in the middle in terms of ‘yung emotions, you're more in control kapag nasa gitna ka lang.”

“Kapag nasa extremes ka, kinakain ka ng emosyon kahit excitement ‘yan, or saya, or celebration…or ‘yung opposites…frustration, lungkot, so ‘yun ‘yung reminders diyan,” Manalo said.