Munich Olympian Freddie Webb is eager to see a bill granting past and present Philippine Olympians benefits passed in Congress.
Former Olympic basketball player Freddie Webb and his fellow Philippine Olympians were honored at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night at the Manila Hotel on Monday night, marking the centennial celebration of the country’s participation in the Summer Games.
But more than relishing the special citation, Webb and his fellow Olympic Games participants used the opportunity to talk about a pending bill in Congress, which aims to grant all Philippine Olympians benefits.
[RELATED: Carlos Yulo wins Athlete of the Year, Filipino Olympians feted at PSA Awards Night]
After dedicating their life to bring sporting glory to the Philippines, Webb said that it was only fair that they are also rewarded for their efforts with privileges later on in their life.
“We are talking about Congress, we have a pending bill there, ours but that’s also yours, and every Olympian… it’s called the Philippine Olympic Association. At the forefront is Congressman Eric Buhain. He is the author, the sponsor of this benefits bill which will include all the present and past Olympians,” said Webb.
“Sapagka't kawawa naman yung naghihikahos diyan, nakalimutan na ng panahon,” he added.
Webb insisted that Olympians deserve the compensation from the Philippine people, especially after working their hardest to represent the country well, regardless of the results.
“Ibig sabihin mo ba, kapag ikaw ay nagubos ng oras mo, pagkatapos eh good bye na? That is not a bad dream for any athlete to have. The dream of the athlete is to serve, but at the same time, the country will have to give compensation,” he said.
Webb and Akiko Thomson-Guevara spoke about the bill when they made a speech on behalf of the Olympians who were honored on stage.
The bill, dubbed as House Bill No. 3523, has been pending in Congress since 2022.
The bill proposes that retired Olympians, upon reaching the age of 50, will have their insurance covered by a special program sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
This includes having their hospitalization covered by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) under its Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP).
Treatment in government facilities would also be free of charge.
The bill also proposes retired Olympians would also get a lifetime monthly pension of at least P15,000. Upon their death, primary beneficiaries would be entitled to a lump sum of P50,000 for funeral expenses.
The proposal also moves that retired Olympians who have not yet reached 60 years of age, would be entitled to 20% discount on domestic transportation, local accommodation, restaurant services, medicine and drug purchases, among others.
The bill was approved by the House panel on youth and sports development back in May 2024 and was last transmitted to the Committee on Appropriations in July.
Thomson-Guevara, for her part, also shared her thoughts on the recent success that Philippine Olympians have enjoyed in recent years — marked by multi-medal campaigns in the most recent Summer Games.
“I feel very honored that the Olympians are being recognized and that we’re included here. Just happy and thankful. Yeah, I’m so proud. It took awhile, but my goodness,” said Thomson-Guevara.
“Yeah, I’m hopeful that now that we have a female gold medalist and a male gold medalist, there’s a peg that people can aspire for. This will just open the gates, hopefully,” she added.