Promises, Promises: Medals, Commitments, and Optics in the Tokyo Olympics

July 28, 2021, was a Monday that will go down in Philippine history as Hidilyn Diaz, one of our own’s prime athletes in this year’s Tokyo Olympics bagged the country’s first-ever gold medal ending the almost century-long drought the nation has been experiencing since we first joined the Games in 1924.

Diaz finished on top in the women’s 55-kg weightlifting event, besting China’s Liao Qiuyun. To top it off, she was also able to set an Olympic record by lifting 97 kg in the snatch and 127 kg in the clean and jerk allowing her to finish with a total score of 224 kg. This was a much-needed monumental event that uplifted the entire country, especially in light of the prolonged battle against the global pandemic.

Her Olympic gold was by no means an easy feat to have been achieved. It took extensive years in the making, but it is also the perfect depiction of the hardw0rk and determination — HD, as are Hidilyn Diaz’s initials — present in every Filipino and the country itself. What’s even more notable, however, are the countless rewards that key personalities and companies alike have pledged to give her.

As of July 31, she is slated to receive approximately ₱50.5 million in cash, the breakdown of which is as follows:

• ₱15 million from the government (₱10 million of which is mandated, while the remaining ₱5 million is for setting two Olympic records)
• ₱10 million from San Miguel Corp.’s Ramon Ang
• ₱10 million from Manny Pangilinan’s MVP Sports Foundation
• ₱5 million from Siklab Atleta Sports Foundation
• ₱5 million from Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero
• ₱3 million from President Duterte
• ₱2.5 million from her hometown, Zamboanga City government

Aside from all this cash, she is also set to receive other prizes in-kind including a ₱14 million condominium unit from Megaworld, a ₱4 million house and lot from Century Properties Group, a house and lot in Zamboanga from President Duterte, another house and lot from the Philippine Olympic Committee’s (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, and free flights for life from AirAsia and Philippine Airlines.

Granted all of these winnings, the two biggest questions circulating right now are (1) whether these will be taxed by the government and (2) whether everyone who made all of these commitments will be able to follow through with them. All eyes are now on the personalities and companies that made these promises.

On the question of taxes
The short answer to this question is: yes. Aside from the ₱10 million that Diaz will be receiving from the government, which is exempt from taxes, the prizes she will gain from businessmen and organizations will be subject to a 6% tax, according to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

“In times when a fellow Filipino represents the Philippines and wins in the international arena, the BIR always gets asked on the taxability of their prizes—be it a medal, a crown, or cash,” explained the BIR.

Fortunately, however, Diaz should still receive the pledged incentives in full as the aforementioned 6% falls under the donor’s tax rate. This means that the officials, businessmen, and organizations will have to settle these costs.

On the question of promises
This is quite tricky and still too early to be determined. Some people believe that most of the commitments that have been made were only said to ride the wave of the country’s first Olympic gold. Truth be told, it did provide the perfect opportunity to put out better optics and publicity, both for private individuals and businesses alike.

A similar spree of pledges also happened in the past when Mansueto ‘Onyok’ Velasco took home a silver medal for the Philippines in boxing during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Although, fairly recently, Velasco went on to say that he was not able to receive everything that was promised.

Among the pledges that drifted with the wind are the ₱2.5 million from Congress, scholarships from the Philippine Navy for Velasco’s children, and a lifetime allowance of ₱10,000 per month from a businessman. While he did receive the house and lot he was promised, the title for his property is still yet to be transferred to his name.

Perhaps, only time will tell if everyone who made their commitments to Diaz will stay true to their word. So far, Pangilinan’s ₱10 million has already been deposited into Diaz’s account based on recent announcements.

The Elites

Diaz triumphantly returned to the country on Wednesday, but the Olympic Games are far from over. More of the country’s athletes are still set to compete in other events and are determined to bring more accomplishments for themselves and the Philippines.

Some notable athletes include boxers led by Nesthy Petecio, who is just one win away from taking home another gold; Eumir Marcial, who has is already sure of the bronze; and Carlo Paalam, who is still making his way towards a medal.

Pole vaulter EJ Obiena has also recently secured a spot in the finals for his event, while gymnast Carlos Yulo will be competing in the medal round on August 2. Golfer Yuka Saso has also been drawing a lot of attention.

Aside from bagging the first Olympic gold, this is also set to be the first time the country will bring home multiple medals from the Games since the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics where we took home three bronze medals courtesy of Simeon Toribio in athletics, boxer Jose Villanueva, and swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso.

Nonetheless, this is still an exciting time for every Filipino, especially amidst the numerous challenges brought about by the global pandemic. Let’s all hope for the best for all our athletes.

References: Inquirer Sports, PhilStar, GMA News, PEP.ph, Manila Bulletin, The Manila Times, Rappler, CNN PH, Nikkei Asia, BusinessWorld