TACLOBAN CITY (PIA) – Paris Olympic bronze medalist Aira Cordero Villegas on Friday, August 23, received a brand new car worth P1.4 million and house and lot worth P6.5 million as surprise gifts from House Speaker and Leyte First District Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Tingog Partylist Representative Yedda Marie Romualdez.
Rep. Yedda Romualdez handed over the ceremonial keys to Villegas, a 29-year-old boxer from Tacloban City, following the thibute to athletes at the People’s Center and Library.
A day earlier, the city government of Tacloban also gave her a P2 million reward — P1 million from the city government and another P1million gift from Tacloban Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez and his son, Liga ng mga Barangay President Raymund Romualdez.
In her short speech at the Tribute ceremony, Villegas expressed her appreciation to those who believed in her as she thanked all the people who, in one way or another, supported her journey to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“Sobrang thank you po sa lahat, and then kay Ma’am Yedda, kay Sir FM, sa Tingog [Partylist], and sa lahat-lahat po ng sumuporta sa akin, thank you po,” Villegas said. [Thank you so much to all, then to Ma’am Yedda, to Sir FM, to Tingog [Partylist], and to everyone who supported me, thank you.]
On her journey to Olympics, she admitted that there was a time that she compared herself to her opponents as they have titles already from SEA Games to Olympics. However, it did not stop her from competing.
“Sobrang thankful po ako kasi ‘yung nakita ko po lahat ng kasama ko po doon, sa right po, lahat po world champions and 2-time Olympians at may mga titles na po sila at ako lang po ang walang title from SEA games to Olympics,” she said.
[I am so thankful because when I saw everyone there with me, on my right side, they are all world champions and 2-time Olympians with titles, while I am the only one without a title from SEA Games to Olympics.]
Villegas, the first Olympic medalist in Tacloban City, said she started boxing at the age of nine just for fun or play before it became her career.
Being an athlete is not easy, she said, as she shared some advice to fellow athletes present during the event.
“Disiplina, tiwala sa sarili and kay God at sa mga tao na nakakakita ng potential sa atin, ‘yun lang po,” Villegas said. [Discipline, self-confidence, trust in oneself and in God and in the people who see potential in us, that’s all.]
Rep. Yedda Romualdez, who led the heartwarming celebration, conveyed her heartfelt congratulations from House Speaker Romualdez and Tingog Partylist for bringing honor to Tacloban City and the whole Eastern Visayas region.
In her speech, Romualdez assured the athletes of Eastern Visayas that Tingog Partylist and House Speaker Romualdez are committed to support their dreams and aspirations in life as she emphasized that Congress is actively working to enhance the country’s sports programs through various legislation such as the Philippine National Games Act and the bill supporting Local Sports Programs that would provide appropriate funding for athletes in the local communities.
In the same event, Regional Director Evelyn Fetalvero of the Department of Education 8 also expressed her appreciation to Villegas for her exemplary performance at the Olympics as she encouraged other athletes in the region to make Villegas’ performance and accomplishments would serve as their inspiration.
“We are immensely grateful to our hero that has brought honor not only to Eastern Visayas but to the whole nation by securing a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics,” Fetalvero said.
Meanwhile, all the athletes in Eastern Visayas, along with their parents and coaches who participated in the 2024 Palarong Pambansa, were given a monetary allowance amounting to P10,000 each, through the AKAP program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
In addition, all the medalists in the region were given cash incentives from the personal funds of Rep. Yedda Romualdez and House Speaker Romualdez: 20 gold medalists received P10,000 each; 15 silver medalists received P8,000 each; and 26 bronze medalist received P7,000 each. (CBA, PIA Eastern Visayas)
