“Support athletes now for them to train better.”

This was the call of PBA Partylist Representative Jericho Nograles during a Lower House committee hearing on a bill increasing the incentives given to national athletes and coaches who are able to clinch gold, silver, and bronze medals on Monday, Aug.24.

The House Committee on Youth and Sports Development approved House Bill No. 8388 or an An Act Further Expendain the Coverage of Incentive Granted to National Athletes and Coaches, Amending For The Purpose Section 8 of Republic Act No. 10699, the “National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act," subject to amendments.

Under the bill, there will be an increase of cash incentives of gold, silver, and bronze medalists of Asian level competitions, South East Asian (SEA) Games, and ASEAN Para Games.

“What I have realized..in this season where sports have been given much support, we have been given so much importance now is that, if the national athletes do need support, it isn’t the incentive. A better incentive, according to them is the support for them to be able to train better,” Nograles said during the hearing.

“What the athletes need is an avenue for well-meaning individuals to constantly help them,” the solon added.

The solon meanwhile clarified that he is not saying that the bill is “bad,” as any “any incentive is better,” for the athletes, but there is a more pressing concern that needs to be addressed.

“How do we get to support our national training pool, our national athletes, to receive these donations in order to compete, in order to afford a sports psychologist, proper dietician, and all of that,” he said.

Nograles said the if there is any cash incentive that an athlete needs, it is the “cash incentive for the training to get the medals.”