Duterte Vows To Give Onyok Velasco’s Olympic Reward After 20 Years

Onyok Velasco’s two decades of wait can be finally over soon after the president assured to deliver his Olympic reward to him.

President Rodrigo Duterte is willing to include in the country’s annual budget on 2017 the P2.5 million reward for Mansueto Onyok Velasco as his reward after bringing home an Olympic silver medal in men’s 48 kg. (light flyweight) boxing category in the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

Concurrent to Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz’ courtesy call to Pres. Duterte in Davao, the president said that he cannot tell as to the date but it has to be investigated whether there was an allotted budget or if there still an amount available for Onyok’s reward.

“Yeah, ang nagpromise sa kanya ang tanungin natin. Was there a money available at the time of his return? Or was there money programmed included in the budget as reward? kung wala i will just have to include it in the budget. Ako I need not make any promises, kasi yong pagpanalo niya I was not around then in Malakanyang even”.

(“Yeah, we have to ask the one who promised him. Was there money available at the time of his return? Or was there money programmed included in the budget as reward? If there is none, i will just have to include it in the budget. I cannot make promises because when he won, I was not even around then in Malacakanyang”.)

Velasco was the only athlete who brought a medal for the Philippines in the 1996 Summer Olympics.

RELATED ARTICLE: Onyok Velasco’s Reward For Winning in Olympics: 20 Years Delayed?

Velasco said that he has not yet received the P2.5 million incentive offered by the government to national athletes who would bring home a silver medal in the Atlanta Olympics.

“Kasi yung iba po, kontrata yan eh, di natutupad, kaya yung iba nadismaya din magpursige,” said Velasco in response to a question on whether he has gotten the monetary reward that has been promised to him.

The boxer-turned-actor said he wants to receive the reward, aside from the monetary benefit it would bring him, he also wants to show Filipino athletes that the government is committed to giving cash incentives to motivate them to go for the first Olympic gold.