Winning Benguet athletes representing Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) in the ongoing Palarong Pambansa are assured of their incentives following a visit from members of the House of Representatives.
ACT-CIS Party List representative Edvic Yap, brother of Cong. Eric, who was represented by his chief of staff Kevin See, made this assurance when they visited the quarters of the athletes and coaches at Barangka Elementary School in Marikina City.
“We support and commend our athletes and coaches competing in Palarong Pambansa, I asked my brother, Congressman Edvic Yap, together with my Chief of Staff to personally relay my message and support right after the Plenary session sa Congress kahapon,” Yap’s message relayed to the athletes and coaches.
Benguet was able to send more than 37 athletes as part of the Cordillera Fearless Highlanders following its third-place finish in the 2023 edition of CARAA hosted and won by Baguio City.
Aside from the handing out financial assistance, food and other supplies to the delegates, the Benguet solon added he will also hand out cash incentives to winning athletes from the province.
“We have given allowance for the entire Benguet delegation, food items and other supplies. For extra motivation, all winning delegates will receive a surprise gift from me. I don’t want them to feel that they are alone in their competition, the entire Benguet is with them and I am also with them,” Yap added.
Yap said with the recent development in the province due to super typhoon Egay, he had to personally attend to the distribution of relief assistance to the victims.
“As much as I want to be there in Manila with them, I can’t allow our province mates who are suffering now due to typhoon Egay, and also there is no stop in raining. I need to be in the province and I have already made my assurance to be there despite a scheduled Congressional Plenary Sessions, where I asked myself to be excused from attending physically,” Yap added.
While he may not be physically with the delegates, Yap assured to Benguet athletes to enjoy and make the province proud in one of the biggest sporting event in the country.
“My message to them is very simple: they give their best but make sure to learn, cherish and enjoy the experience. Not all young ones are given the chance to-compete in the Palarong Pambansa, and not all those given the chance to play can have the chance to represent their province with pride. That is why I couldn’t let them compete alone,” Yap closed.
As of 2 pm of August 3, Team Cordillera has already eight golds, including eight silver and four bronze medals. Pigeon Lobien
