Cebu’s Batang Pinoy medalists get double cash incentives

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Hard work and determination paid off for the Batang Pinoy medalists from the Cebu province after Cebu Provincial Sports Commission (CPSC) chairman Michel Lhuillier surprised them by doubling their cash incentives.

The Cebu provincIal government was supposed to hand cash incentives of P5,000 for gold medalists, P3,000 for silver medalists, and P2,000 for athletes who brought home bronze medals. The amount is the same for both individual and team sports.

However, during last week’s recognition of the athletes held at the Dignitaries Hall of the Cebu capitol, Lhuillier announced that he was going to reward the medalists with the same amount coming from his own pocket because he was in awe with their performance as student athletes.

Thus, gold medalists went home with P10,000, the silver medalists with P6,000, and the bronze medalists with P4,000.

“I talked to some of them and I was amazed at the dedication, to wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning, then to go to school at 8, that’s a lot of sacrifice. I didn’t do that sacrifice, that was beyond me, all I did was train to be successful in sports,” said Lhuillier, who used to be a runner.

He said that student athletes should not underestimate themselves just because they come from the province, “you are better than the city people, it is just a matter of training, dedication and a little bit of funding and I think that is a good combination.”

The 81-person Cebu province delegation finished 10th overall among more or less 300 local government unit delegations in last November’s Batang Pinoy National Finals hosted by Tagum City in Davao del Norte. They brought home 18 gold medals, 18 silvers, and 15 bronze medals.

One of the surprise student athletes of Cebu province is 12-year-old Moira Frances Gabrielle Erediano, who clinched the first gold medal in last year’s Batang Pinoy in her first cycling criterium competition.

Not only that, she is also Cebu’s most be-medalled student athlete after she finished with a total of 3 golds and 1 silver medal.

Aside from the cycling criterium, she also fished gold in triathlon and duathlon in the Girls 10-12 category. Her silver medal came from the cycling-ITT (individual time trial).

Most of Cebu province’s gold medals did not come easy, such as that of 14-year-old Karen Andrea Manayon.

In triathlon, Manayon had finished more than a minute ahead of her opponents, including Nicole Danielle Eijansantos who was gunning for her 4th title in the event but eventually ended with the bronze.

However, Manayon and her coach, Roland “Andoy” Remolino, were surprised after her name was not called during the awarding.

Remolino protested and it was only then that they were told that someone had complained and Manayon was penalized for allegedly not putting her swimming goggles and cap inside the designated box at the transition area.

Someone apparently took a photo of it and showed it to the officials. However, despite the time penalty, Manayon still deserved the gold because of her more than a minute advantage over her opponents.

Manayon’s second gold, which she bagged in the cycling-ITT 17-Under girls, also did not come any easier. She was also left out in the top 3 finishers after officials failed to deduct a couple of minutes from her time as they were using just one big clock for the event.

Another determined student-athlete of Cebu province is 8-year-old Janine Narboada, who bagged two gold medals in karatedo advance kata and kumite (30-kgs) 8-9 girls category despite being sick.

Doctors had to watch her closely as she competed and brought her to the hospital after to make sure that she was getting enough fluids in her body. – Rappler.com