By Cesar Antonio Nucum Jr.

SAN FRANCISCO — Although thousands of miles away from the Philippines and France where the 2024 Summer Olympics is being held, Filipinos in San Francisco Bay Area triumph with their compatriots on the double gold performance of foremost gymnast Carlos Yulo and the bronze medals of women boxers Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio.

Philippine Consulate in San Francisco head Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer “join the Philippine Consulate General and the Filipino Community in the Bay Area in congratulating gymnast Carlos Yulo for becoming the Philippines’ first-ever male Olympic double gold medalist in Paris, at a time when our country marks 100 years of participation in the Olympics. Warmest congratulations too Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas and hope our athletes will continue to excel and win on the world’s biggest sporting stage.”

“An entire nation is celebrating the achievements of homegrown talents such as Yulo, as well as of Filipino American athletes who are competing under the Philippine flag—three of whom have ties to the Bay Area (swimmer Jarod Hatch, and Yulo’s fellow gymnasts Emma Malabuyo and Levi Jung-Ruivivar). All our 22 Olympians in Paris serve as an inspiration to Filipinos around the world. Mabuhay!” exult Ferrer.  “I also extend my heartfelt congratulations to Aira Villegas, Nesthy Petecio and as well as all our athletes who gave their all in the 2024 Paris Olympics!”

Home to a large number of Filipinos, Daly City had its first Filipina Mayor Juslyn Manalo grinning with pride in the efforts of Yulo. 

“Congratulations Carlos Yulo, we are beaming with pride from Daly City, California You shine with Filipino excellence and you have shown that to the world as your victorious win to Gold!”

The victories of Yulo became personally special to Manalo as “Carlos’s roots are from Leveriza, Malate which is my father’s hometown.”

Warmest greetings of congratulations Carlos Yulo, Aira Villegas, Nesthy Petecio and as well as all our athletes who gave their all in the 2024 Paris Olympics!

Former Daly City Mayor Mike Guingona issued his greetings: “We want to commend Carlos Yulo on his double Gold Medal performance in Paris. It is a great achievement considering that he was able to be the best in the world in two different events.

“I am sure that his victory will inspire a new generation of Filipino athletes to follow his great example of hard work and dedication. It may also encourage the government to give greater support to these athletes that have sacrificed so much to represent their country on the international stage. 

“Congratulations, Carlos Yulo, Aira Villegas, Nesthy Petecio and as well as all our athletes who gave their all in the 2024 Paris Olympics! May this be the beginning of many more victories to come.”

A lawyer specializing in criminal defense and nephew of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, the youngest Daly City Mayor at 33 in 1995, former Daly City Mayor Mike Guingona embarked on a new direction in life without politics and committing himself to sports, particularly wrestling where his dream was to produce gold medals for the Philippines at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

Guingona claims that sports had always been his passion having been a wrestling coach since 1987, besides being a judo black belter, an MMA judge, a strength and conditioning coach and a certified masters swim instructor.   

Tokyo 2020 weightlifting champion Hidilyn Diaz ended the 97-year gold medal drought of the Philippines when she won the elusive medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and received over 50 million in incentives including several houses and lots, condo units, lifetime of free flights, gasoline, and other products.  

For his double gold winning performance, Yulo receives P20 million under Republic Act No. 10699, or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act, that provides that a gold medalist P10 million, silver medalist P5 million and a bronze medalist P2 million.  

The  law also provides that the athletes and their coaches will also receive other benefits such as 20% discount from all establishments for transportation, hotel and lodging, restaurants, recreation centers, purchase of medicine and sports equipment, on movie, entertainment and leisure tickets, PhilHealth coverage, free medical and dental consultations in government hospitals and establishments, priority in government livelihood and housing programs, and free use of living quarters and training centers set up and maintained by the Philippine Sports Commission for the exclusive use of national athletes while preparing and training for international competitions.

Yulo also stands to get from personalities in the private sector announced or pledged substantial amounts of cash incentives such as a fully furnished 3-bedroom condominium and P3 million cash by Megaworld Corporation and the P3 million from Bounty Fresh aside from other pledges include lifetime free meals and cookies and even lifetime free colonoscopy on top of reported offer of a P10 million contract for brand ambassadorship.  

Philippine Airlines has also announced that it will give Carlos Yulo 150,000 mabuhay miles per year for life and Aira Villegas 80,000 Mabuhay miles every year for 3 years.

Aside from monetary incentives, Yulo and all other 2024 Paris Olympians were accorded a hero’s welcome in Manila.  
Coaches of the medalists will also receive a cash incentive as long as they have trained the athlete for more than six months.