Duterte adds P2M to Diaz’s P5-M incentive for Olympic silver medal

Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz on Thursday night called on President Rodrigo Duterte at the Presidential Guest House in Panacan, Davao City.

A live report from government station PTV-4 showed Diaz was with her parents Eduardo and Emelita when they met Duterte around 10 p.m.

Duterte handed Diaz a check for the P5-million incentive she received for the silver medal finish at the weighlifting event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In a news conference, Duterte said he would add P2 million to Diaz's prize.

Duterte said he watched Diaz in the finals of the weightlifting event.

"It is with great pride that I present Hidilyn Diaz, a Zamboangueña," Duterte said.

"If we put just put in the discipline and a little help from the national government, we'd get miracles and surprises along the way," he added.

Duterte said he wants Filipino athletes' needs to be taken care of by the government.

"They go into training with nary a worry about anything but focus on the training," said Duterte, who said he is committing the construction of sports facilities in Negros and Zamboanga to develop more grassroots talents.

Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William "Butch" Ramirez said it will put up an institute for sports after the Duterte administration's plan to shift to a federal form of government.

Diaz had said she planned to buy a neighboring lot in her hometown in Zamboanga City to build a weightlifting gym for kids. —NB/JST, GMA News