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Hse panel tax exempted donation to athletes
By Nidz Godino
“What that teaches us is that prize is never won on the day of competition itself, but years before…hard work, determination and sheer grit through many years of training wins over talent,” Rep. Joey Salceda said, recalling gymnast Carlos Yulo.
When Caloy was 12 years old winning the Olympics was his “dream.”
Proposal to exempt from taxes donations and prizes for athletes joining international sports competitions has hurdled House of Representatives’ committee on ways and means.
Panel chairman Salceda said House Bill 421, approved by his committee, “exempts not just prizes that are handed out by brands and companies after win,” but also “donations toward their training one year before competition.”
HB 421, originally dubbed “Hidilyn Diaz Law” in 18th Congress (2019-2022), didn’t make it in Senate.
Salceda said measure should also be named in honor of gymnast Carlos Yulo, who won two gold medals in ongoing Paris Olympics. Weightlifter Diaz won country’s first gold medal in 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
“It follows philosophy I have espoused as Albay governor: rescue is bad word, because there is no need for rescue when all preparations have been made…capacity is everything… approach is to incentivize not the prize, but preparation…champions are not made overnight,” Salceda said.
Salceda’s committee also approved making bill’s exemption “retroactive to Jan. 1, 2024.”
Rep. LRay Villafuerte moved for “plenary approval” of measure, now called “Carlos Yulo bill.” Senior administration legislator was author of House Bill 8226, one of the six bills incorporated into committee-passed substitute bill.
“Yulo’s victory should prompt our sports officials to give long hard look at giving priority to development of relatively non-traditional sports like gymnastics to further sharpen our global edge in international sports competitions, if we sharpen our focus on sports disciplines like gymnastics and hire A-1 coaches and trainers from overseas to mentor our promising athletes, I am sure we will be able to produce more medalists like Caloy in international sports events like Olympic games,” Camarines Sur second district congressman said.
Speaker Martin Romualdez is eyeing lifetime pension for Filipino athletes who have earned medals in Olympics, apart from other benefits that they may be entitled to under proposed legislation.
Romualdez made proposal as he acknowledged “immeasurable and priceless” achievements of Yulo and Diaz who won golds in separate Olympics season.
Romualdez said while nation may not be able to fully repay the two athletes for making Filipinos proud, “we can acknowledge their triumph by way of giving them benefits from government.”
Lawmakers, he said, are studying possibility of “enhancing and increasing” government benefits to medalists in Olympics.
“And one of these is giving lifetime pension to all Filipino Olympic gold, silver and bronze medalists who all brought honor and pride to our country…this will start by time they reach age of 40, or when they retire from their field of sport,” Romualdez said.
The Speaker had already asked members of concerned House committees to initiate discussions on passing bill that would “institutionalize” grant of more benefits, financial or otherwise, to Filipino Olympic medalists.
At the same time, Romualdez directed appropriate House committees to study amendments to “National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act (Republic Act 10699),” to determine if law needs to be updated to reflect needs of athletes and coaches.
He said giving more benefits to Filipino Olympic medalists would guarantee secure and brighter future for them, even after their retirement from sports they excelled in.
Romualdez described gymnast Yulo as “once-in-a-century Filipino athlete” following his exceptional double gold victory at Paris Olympics. He first clinched gold in men’s floor exercise on Saturday and followed it up with another gold in men’s vault on Sunday.
His victories marked Philippines’ first and second Olympic medals in gymnastics and country’s second and third gold medals since joining Summer Games exactly a century ago, also held in Paris.
The Speaker praised Yulo’s achievements for “bringing immense pride and joy to the nation and showcasing unparalleled talent and dedication of Filipino athletes on the global stage.”
“His remarkable performance at Paris Olympics, winning double gold in both floor exercise and vault, is testament to his hard work, perseverance and exceptional skill,” Romualdez said of Yulo.
House of Representatives has pledged P3 million for gold medalists, P2 million for silver medalists and P1 million for bronze medalists.
With Yulo winning two gold medals, he will get minimum incentive of P6 million from House.
On top of this, Yulo will receive additional cash incentives from fundraising campaign initiated by Speaker among his colleagues in the chamber.
Yulo will also be conferred congressional medal for his exceptional achievement and contribution to Philippine sports.
Earlier, Romualdez extended financial assistance to all 22 Filipino athletes participating in Paris Olympics.
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