Camille Naredo

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. honors the medalists of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games during a ceremony in Intramuros, January 21, 2026. Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. honors the medalists of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games during a ceremony in Intramuros, January 21, 2026.

Article (news)

2025 Southeast Asian Games

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768980270684G_JyW_SXcAAUhrQ.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. honors the medalists of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games during a ceremony in Intramuros, January 21, 2026. Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. honors the medalists of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games during a ceremony in Intramuros, January 21, 2026. <em>Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Athletes who won medals at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) will receive cash incentives from the office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the President announced on Wednesday as he lauded their &quot;historic achievement.&quot; </p><p>Marcos, Jr. led the &quot;Parangal at Pasasalamat sa mga Bayaning Atleta&quot; in Intramuros, a homecoming celebration for SEA Games athletes who competed in Thailand late last year. </p><p>In his speech, he said he would match the cash prizes for medalists under the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act for bringing pride to the Philippines.</p><p>Each gold medalist will receive P300,000 while each silver and bronze medalists will also get P150,000 and P60,000, respectively.   </p><p>&quot;Batid nating walang katumbas na halaga ang inyong sakripisyo, ngunit tanggapin ninyo ito bilang simbolo ng pagpupugay at pasasalamat ng mamamayang Pilipino sa inyong kabayanihan,&quot; said Marcos, Jr. </p><p>&quot;Ginagawa natin ang lahat ng ito upang hubugin ang mga susunod na henerasyon ng atletang Pilipino—mga kabataang may pangarap, may paniniwala sa sarili, at handang lumaban sa ngalan ng ating bandila,&quot; he added. </p><p>Team Pilipinas bagged 277 medals – 50 gold, 73 silver, and 154 bronze – in the recently-concluded SEA Games in Thailand, ranking 6th overall.</p><p>This was lower than the target set by Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham &quot;Bambol&quot; Tolentino, who said before the SEA Games that they hope to match the country&#x27;s fifth-place finish in Cambodia two years ago.</p><p>Nonetheless, both Tolentino and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Patrick Gregorio said they were satisfied by the performance of the national athletes, given the restrictions put in place by the host country.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/12/20/top-sports-execs-say-team-ph-very-successful-in-seag-despite-falling-short-of-target-1922">READ: Top sports execs say Team PH &#x27;very successful&#x27; in SEAG despite falling short of target</a></div><p>In his speech, the President also highlighted the importance of an athlete&#x27;s discipline, saying this shapes a person&#x27;s character and vision.</p><p>&quot;Ang disiplina ay hindi lamang susi sa panalo sa loob ng arena. Ito ay humuhubog sa ating pagkatao—ang mamuhay ng may layunin, magsikap ng may kahulugan, at mangarap ng [may] malinaw na direksiyon,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;At sa tuwing pinipili nating kumilos ng may disiplina, sama-sama nating binubuo ang isang bansa na hindi sumusuko—isang bansang patuloy na umaangat, nagpupunyagi, at umuunlad,&quot; he added. </p><p>Around 500 athletes attended the event in Intramuros, according to a release. </p><p>SEA Games gold medalist Trina Guytingco of the Philippine women&#x27;s national basketball team told reporters it has always been an honor to represent the country in sports. </p><p>&quot;It was difficult, we had not the best journey… we had a very short preparation in the SEA Games but you know we really tried to make the best out of the situation,&quot; Guytingco said. </p><p>The Gilas Women defeated host Thailand for the gold medal, a feat that was also duplicated by the men&#x27;s team.</p><p>Eumir Marcial, the lone Filipino boxer to win a gold medal, said one of the challenges they encountered in the SEA Games last year was the judging. </p><p>The Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) had been vocal about what they said were &quot;irregularities&quot; in the competition. Thailand, the host nation, won a whopping 14 of the 17 golds at stake in boxing.</p><p>Nonetheless, Marcial expressed gratitude for the event and the government&#x27;s appreciation to athletes like them. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/12/20/abap-plans-to-ask-for-inquiry-over-irregularities-in-sea-games-boxing-1505">READ: ABAP plans to ask for inquiry over &#x27;irregularities&#x27; in SEA Games boxing</a></div><p>&quot;Sobrang laking tulong sa amin na bibigyan kami ng incentives lalong-lalo na… nakakatulong kami sa pamilya namin, nakakapagbigay kami ng inspirasyon sa ibang atleta, sa mga kabataan,&quot; Marcial said. </p><p>&quot;Talagang hindi fair ang judging… pero nagpapasalamat kami sa Panginoon at sa lahat ng Pilipinong sumusuporta. Itong medalya namin hindi lang para sa amin pero para sa ating bansa,&quot; he added, noting that their concerns were raised by the Philippine Sports Commission when they competed in Thailand. </p><p>For her part, Agatha Wong, a Filipino wushu athlete and a six-time SEA Games gold medalist, highlighted the &quot;overwhelming&quot; support of the government to athletes. </p><p>Wong said it was important to improve grassroots sports programs. </p><p>&quot;We need more kids, we need more children to develop. There&#x27;s still a lot of work to be done,&quot; she said.</p><div><strong> </strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JHPftBuqT-Q?&amp;pp=0gcJCYcKAYcqIYzv&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tgCZoNuMbYE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Athletes who won medals at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) will receive cash incentives from the office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the President announced on Wednesday as he lauded their "historic achievement."</p>

Athletes who won medals at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) will receive cash incentives from the office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the President announced on Wednesday as he lauded their "historic achievement."

Marcos Jr. gives cash incentives to SEAG medalists, highlights importance of discipline

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Marcos Jr. gives cash incentives to SEAG medalists, highlights importance of discipline

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 21, 2026 03:25 PM PHT

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Southeast Asian Games

2025 SEA Games

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

cash incentives

national athletes

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