Philippine coaches receive long overdue cash rewards

The late bowling coach Alfonso Dela Rosa helped his wife Julieta win a combined eight gold medals in the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games, 1979 World FIQ Championships and the 1983 World FIQ Championships. Another bowling coach Ernesto Lopa was at the helm when Bong Coo won two gold medals in the 1979 FIQ World Championships and when Arianne Cerdena captured the gold in the 1988 Seoul Olympics when the event was a demonstration sport. Dela Rosa and Lopa along with other coaches of past achievers from bowling, athletics, taekwondo and boxing were honored and finally received their cash incentives amounting to more than P9.5 million from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). The simple awarding ceremony was held at the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) cafeteria attended by PAGCOR president Atty. Jorge Sarmiento, PSC chairman Ricardo Garcia and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose Cojuangco Jr. It was actually the second batch of awardees in accordance to Republic Act 9064 or the Sports Benefits and Incentives Act of 2001. The first batch, led by boxing coach Roel Velasco, received their cash incentives last year. Dela Rosa received the highest pot receiving a total of P1,883,333 while Lopa, the current Philippine Bowling Congress (PBC) president, got P1,645,833. Even Sen. Vicente "Tito" Sotto, who prior to his stint as an actor was a bowling coach, got a total of P1,533,333 for guiding Coo and Lolita Reformado to four gold medals during the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games and the 1979 FIQ World Championship. Sotto, in a previous interview, said that he will donate the money. The late Angel Nepomuceno, who mentored his son Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno to various medals in the FIQ World Championships, World Games and Asian Games from 1983 to 1997, received a total of P745,333. Other bowling coaches — Oliver Ongtawco (P306,250), Delfin Garcia (P206,250), Jimmy Hizon (P708,333), Johnson Cheng (P350,000), Vicente Valdez(P112,500), Bonifacio Solis (P62,500) and Nicanor Cerdena (P375,000) — also received their cash rewards. The late Francisco "Tatang" De Vega, father of former Asian sprint queen Lydia De Vega-Mercado, was also honored and given P437,500 after her daughter won two gold medals in the 1982 and 1986 Asian Games in New Delhi and Seoul, respectively. Other track and field coaches who received incentives are Elma Muros-Posadas' husband Jojo Posadas (P50,000), Claro Pellosis (P187,500) and Marcelo Langurayan (P137,500). Former taekwondo coaches Dr. Manolo Gabriel (P375,000), Victor Manuel Veneracion (P150,000) and Jesus Morales (P50,000) were also given incentives. Ricardo Fortaleza and Jacinto Diaz were also given P62,500 each for leading Ruben Mares to a silver medal in the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games. "This event is not merely awarding of incentives but a recognition to the coaches of Philippine sports in general," said Garcia. "It's about time to give the coaches the recognition they deserve," said Cojuangco. — Reuben Terrado/JVP, GMA News