Tokyo Olympic medalists get Senate Medal of Excellence

September 7 ------ HIDILYN Diaz was conferred with the Philippine Senate Medal of Excellence on Monday for becoming the first-ever Philippine Olympic gold medalist in Tokyo last July. Diaz personally received the medal from Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who authored Senate Resolution No. 882 to honor the Filipina weightlifter. Aside from the medal, Diaz was also handed with a P1 million incentive by the Senate.

Also conferred with the Senate Medal of Excellence were the other medalist in the Tokyo Olympics in silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and bronze medalist Eumir Marcial. Petecio and Paalam also received P500,000, while Marcial got P400,000 as cash incentive from the Senate. The Senate adopted Senate Resolutions 828, 833, and 813 to also honor Petecio, Paalam, and Marcial.

Diaz, Petecio, Paalam, and Marcial personally attended the conferment prior during the Senate Plenary Session on Monday. The four medalists is the first batch of individuals that was conferred with the Philippine Senate Medal of Excellence, the highest honor bestowed by the Upper House. The Senate also recognized the role of the Philippine Olympic Committee through president and Cavite eighth district Rep. Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino in the achievement in Tokyo.

Source: spin.ph