ANGELES CITY — Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. on August 30, 2023 distributed P44,000 worth of cash incentives to the Palarong Pambansa winners.
The distribution was held at the Mayor’s Office, where the six student-athlete winners were present and greeted by Mayor Lazatin personally.
“Congratulations student-athletes for bringing recognition and pride to Angeles City and Region III,” Lazatin said.
Angeles City student-athletes have contributed one gold, two silver, and four bronze medals to Central Luzon’s total tally of 28 gold, 33 silver and 46 bronze medals.
Each gold medalist received ₱10,000; ₱7,000 for silver medalists and ₱5,000 each for bronze medalists.
“We have exhausted a budget from the Local School Board and funds from the Office of the Mayor to accommodate giving these cash incentives for them. They indeed deserve this,” Lazatin furthered.
Lazatin also believes that these young breed of student-athletes will soon represent not just Angeles City, but also the country.
“It is our administration’s ultimate dream to produce an Angeleño Olympic medalist. It is not impossible, with these athletes who are very dedicated and hard working in the field of sports,” Lazatin shared.
Lazatin vowed that he will continue to support and prioritize sports development amongst the youth, also thanking Vice Mayor Vicenta Vega-Cabigting, City Council, and the Department of Education — Division of Angeles City, schools, teachers and coaches.
For his part, Division of Angeles City Superintendent Ronaldo Pozon said, “Thank you very much po Mayor Pogi sa walang sawang suporta na binibigay ninyo sa mga atletang estudyante natin. Masayang masaya ang mga bata at mga magulang at siguradong magagamit ng tama itong mga incentives na binigay po ninyo.”
Among the medalists are Riannah Coleman who won a gold medal in the Swimming Secondary Girls 4×50 Medley Relay and bronze medal in the 50m Breaststroke.
JayM Calahan and Althea Villavicencio both captured silver medals for ParaGames Long Jump ID Boys, and Shot Put, respectively.
Meanwhile, Cris Mallari took home a bronze medal for Swimming Secondary Boys 4×50 Freestyle Relay, Sebastian Paul Soriano for Shot Put Secondary Boys, and Angel Luis Rendon for ParaGamses 100 meters Sprint.
To recall, some 417 student-athletes competed in the CLRAA, in their respective fields of sports.
Each student-athlete received free playing shoes, uniforms, parade polo shirts, joggers, hoodies, bags, caps and travel mattresses from the city government before the regional meet started.
