The Philippine Olympic Committee will immortalize Lydia de Vega-Mercado at the soon-to-rise POC museum at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
POC President Bambol Tolentino made that promise to de Vega-Mercado’s daughter, Stephanie de Koenigswarter, and mother Mary when he visited the late track legend’s wake at the Heritage Park in Taguig City Saturday morning.
“Lydia’s legacy will forever be remembered. So we, the POC, are planning to put all her achievements on a wall inside the Olympic museum,” Tolentino said.
“Her achievements in the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Championships and Asian Games, among others, will be immortalized there in the museum. She’ll be an inspiration to all aspiring athletes.”
De Vega-Mercado passed away Wednesday after a four-year battle with breast cancer.
During her prime, she dominated the track by becoming a two-time Asian Games champion, four-time Asian champion and nine-time Southeast Asian Games gold winner.
Tolentino said work on the POC headquarters at the New Clark City will soon start, citing it as the first time that the POC will have a home of its own and that a museum will aptly highlight the office.
De Vega’s wake will be transferred on Monday to her native Meycauyan in Bulacan where she once served as councilor.
Tolentino, meanwhile, will fly to Bangkok on Monday for a SEA Games Federation Council meeting on the Cambodia 32nd SEA Games in May 2023.