PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) Rep. President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino announced on Sunday that eight athletes will be granted Olympics Solidarity Scholarship grants by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The eight athletes are Tokyo Olympian pole vaulter EJ Obiena and weightlifter Erleen Ann Ando, boxers Rogen Ladon and Aira Villegas, fencer Samantha Catantan, skateboarder Jericho Francisco, cyclist Patrick Coo and wrestler Allen Arcilla.
Starting next month, the eight Filipino athletes will receive $900 a month from the $7,500 scholarship grant from the IOC.
Tolentino said that they could add more athletes, but just limited the number to eight to avoid the $900 grant per athlete to be reduced.
“The money will go directly to the athletes, not even a cent will go to their respective national sports associations,” Tolentino told BusinessMirror on Sunday. “It’s now up to them how they will spend the money for their training or education.”
Tolentino also clarified that they did not tap Tokyo Olympic sgymnast Carlos Yulo because he’s already a scholar of the Japanese Olympic Committee.