The Philippine team from the just-concluded 17th Paralympic Games will receive a heroes’ welcome from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The courtesy call for the six Paralympians—archer Agustina Bantiloc, taekwondo’s Allain Ganapin, wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan, javelin thrower Cendy Asusano, and swimmers Angel Otom and Ernie Gawilan—at the Malacañang Palace is set at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12, two days after their arrival from the glitzy French capital.

“Our President is very supportive who acknowledges and recognizes the efforts of our athletes,” said Philippine Paralympic Committee president Michael Barredo.

The national para-athletes will be feted in a special gathering led by President Marcos, similar to the recognition given to members of the Philippine Olympic team last month.

“We express our gratitude to the President for his all-out support. Our Chief Executive made us feel really special,” said Barredo.

“Our para athletes did their best at the Paris Paralympics but fell short of reaching the podium. We are proud of their valiant efforts, nonetheless. Now, it is time to return to the drawing board and establish a clear para sports pathway, from grassroots participation—especially among the youth and women—up to the elite level,” said Barredo.

From their training and preparation until the team’s participation in the ‘City of Light’, the six Paralympians and the entire Philippine delegation received complete backing from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), headed by its Chairman Richard Bachmann.

Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) Secretary-General Goody Custodio, PPC Director for Para Sports Development Milette Bonoan, and Team Philippines chef de mission Ral Rosario were also on hand to support the Paralympians for two weeks of competition.

“By leveraging local and national events like the Palarong Pambansa, Batang Pinoy, Philippine National Games, and Training the Trainers, we aim to identify, classify and nurture talent across the country,” said Barredo.

“This approach, combined with adequate funding, will expand our national training pool, allowing us to select more athletes and strengthen our representation in international competitions such as the Asean and Asian Para Games, and the Paralympic Games,” added Barredo. 

During the parade of nations in the opening ceremony, the Philippines was acknowledged as a country that provides significant cash incentives to its medal-winning para-athletes, something that Canada has started to replicate in its Paralympic program.

“We are working with Congress to increase the cash incentives of our medal-winning para athletes similar to the incentives that our athletes in the Olympics normally receive,” said Bachmann.

“We are also helping institutionalize the Para PNG (Philippine National Games), so we can have a younger pool of athletes that we can actually select in the future,” added Bachmann.

Prior to the departure of the Paralympians from Manila, President Marcos sent his well wishes, telling them that the “whole nation is with you and that you are already champions in our eyes.’’