More honors now await Filipino gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo, who is now set to receive the Presidential Medal of Merit during a "heroes' welcome" ceremony at Malacañang today.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. will lead the nation in celebrating the Filipino Olympians and their historic achievement at the 2024 Games, where the country secured two gold and two bronze medals.
Aside from Yulo, other athletes who competed in the Paris Olympics will receive presidential citations.
Chief of Presidential Protocol Reichel Quiñones described the event as “simple but meaningful,” emphasizing that the focus will be on honoring the athletes.
The Olympians are scheduled to arrive on a chartered flight at 6:00 p.m. today at Villamor Air Base, where they will be greeted by their families.
From there, they will proceed to Malacañang for a welcoming ceremony hosted by Marcos and First Lady Liza Marcos, followed by an awarding ceremony and dinner reception at the ceremonial hall.
In addition to Yulo’s Presidential Medal of Merit, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, who won bronze medals in boxing, will also be honored with presidential citations.
Tomorrow, a 7.7-kilometer parade will celebrate the athletes, beginning at 3 p.m. from Aliw Theater in Pasay City and concluding at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
The Philippine National Police will ensure security, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will implement a stop-and-go scheme to facilitate the parade.
President Marcos will also provide cash incentives to the athletes in accordance with the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.
Gold medalists will receive P10 million, while silver and bronze medalists will get P5 million and P2 million, respectively.
Quiñones clarified that each athlete was allowed to invite up to four guests, and the arrangements were made according to their preferences.
Speaker Martin Romualdez congratulated the athletes, praising their achievements and the impact on Philippine sports.
The Provincial Council of Pangasinan also honored Yulo, acknowledging his success as a testament to grassroots sports development in the region.
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