ANNIE ALBANIA

It’s Christmas in November for boxer Annie Albania.

Albania received a total of P100,000 in bonuses from Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan for winning a gold medal in the recent third Asian Indoor Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The cash bonus was given last Sunday during the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) match between Talk ’N Text and Purefoods at the Araneta Coliseum, where Albania’s fellow medalists Mitchel Martinez and Josie Gabuco, as well as RP women’s team coaches Boy Catolico and Roel Velasco were also present.

Of the P100,000 reward given to Albania, P70,000 came from Pangilinan’s own pocket while the P30,000 was the incentive given by the association to each player who wins a gold medal in any invitational event.

Martinez, who won silver in the 60kgs division, and Gabuco, who snared bronze in the 48kgs class, got P20,000 and P10,000, respectively, under the ABAP rule. Catolico and Velasco also received P10,000 each from Pangilinan.

“Malaking tulong sa amin yung reward kaya nagpapasalamat kami sa mga ibinibigay sa aming incentive,” said Albania, who also thanked the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for funding their participation in the Indoor Games.

Albania and the two other boxers will earn more as PSC chairman Harry Angping also promised to give cash incentives to all medalists in the Indoor Games.