Paris 2024 bronze medalist Villegas shares cash reward with family

By Roel Amazona

September 2, 2024, 7:50 pm

<p><strong>BOXING MEDALIST</strong>. Paris Olympics 2024 bronze medalist Aira Villegas (center) with athlete students of the Leyte Sports Academy in Tacloban City in this Aug. 29, 2024 photo. Villegas said on Monday (Sept. 2) said she is sharing half of all her cash rewards with her family. <em>(PNA photo by Roel Amazona)</em></p>

BOXING MEDALIST. Paris Olympics 2024 bronze medalist Aira Villegas (center) with athlete students of the Leyte Sports Academy in Tacloban City in this Aug. 29, 2024 photo. Villegas said on Monday (Sept. 2) said she is sharing half of all her cash rewards with her family. (PNA photo by Roel Amazona)

TACLOBAN CITY – Paris Olympics 2024 bronze medalist Aira Villegas is sharing half of all her cash rewards with her family, considered her inspiration in boxing.

In a phone interview Monday, Villegas said she is not an athlete for a lifetime, and sharing her blessings with her family will help them prepare for the future.

"They are my inspiration every time I fight. I am sharing half of my cash reward to my family since I won’t be an athlete my whole life,” Villegas said.

The rest of cash will mainly be spent on her training, the boxing medalist added.

Villegas shared the information a few days after receiving PHP2 million in cash on Aug. 29 from the Leyte provincial government, handed over by Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla, who established the Leyte Sport Academy where Villegas learned the basics of boxing.

On Aug. 23, Villegas received a brand new house and lot worth PHP6 million and a PHP1.4 million brand new car from House Speaker Martin Romualdez and his wife, Rep. Yedda Marie, of Tingog Party List.

“The house and lot are Aira’s wish for her family when personally asked by Speaker Romualdez,” said Aira’s older brother Romnick, a former boxer.

The Paris Olympics bronze medalist in the inaugural women's Light Flyweight event received the gifts a day after accepting PHP1 million each from Mayor Alfred Romualdez and the Hiraya Foundation.

The Senate gave PHP1 million to Villegas on Aug. 19.

Upon their arrival in the country from Paris on Aug. 14, Villegas received PHP4 million from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., doubling the cash incentives mandated by law.

Villegas’ father was a fisherman, while her mother used to earn from selling peanuts. (PNA)

 

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