Cash incentives await Cebu City’s CVIRAA medallists

Local

CEBU City will grant standardized cash incentives to its athletes who will win medals in this year’s Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) Meet, which is underway in Naga City, southern Cebu.

Mayor Nestor Archival explained on Monday, March 23, that under the scheme, gold medalists will receive P5,000, silver medalists P3,000, and bronze medalists P1,000 as part of the city’s official support for its competing athletes.

Archival said the incentives are meant to recognize the achievements of Cebuano athletes and encourage stronger performances in regional competitions.

“CVIRAA athletes championship nga makakuha og medals: gold will be 5k, silver 3k, bronze 1k,” Archival said.

He clarified that the incentives are not personal but are institutional support from the city government.

“It’s not personal but sa ato nga city-sponsored incentives,” he added.

The announcement comes as Cebu City fields a strong delegation to the CVIRAA Meet 2026.

More than 6,000 athletes and delegation officials from 12 school divisions across Central Visayas are competing in the weeklong regional competition.

Cebu City has sent a 761-member delegation composed of athletes and coaches competing in multiple sporting events.

The contingent is led by Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Nimfa Bongo.

Archival attended the opening ceremony on March 22 to express support for the Cebu City Niños, who are aiming to deliver strong results in this year’s meet.

The newly announced incentives reflect a slight adjustment from previous city-supported reward schemes.

In earlier programs, individual medalists in CVIRAA and similar competitions received P5,000 for gold, P3,000 for silver, and up to P2,000 for bronze.

Team events and higher-level competitions such as the Palarong Pambansa carried significantly larger incentives.

City officials said the current standardized rates are intended to ensure consistency in rewarding athletes while maintaining fiscal sustainability.

Despite the adjustments, the city government maintained that it remains committed to supporting Cebuano athletes, both in grassroots and higher-level competitions.

The CVIRAA Meet serves as a key qualifying stage for national competitions, with top-performing athletes earning the opportunity to represent the region in the Palarong Pambansa.(TGP)