President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday awarded cash incentives to Filipino medalists who excelled in the 14th WorldSkills ASEAN Manila 2025, in recognition of their outstanding performance in various technical and vocational skills.

Marcos announced the granting of cash rewards from the Office of the President (OP) during a meeting with WorldSkills ASEAN medalists.

In his speech, Marcos announced cash incentives of PHP100,000 for gold, PHP80,000 for silver, PHP60,000 for bronze, and PHP50,000 for medallion recipients.

“Now, we did very well and I’m very, we’re all very proud of you because there’s more than just a contest or just a competition between different countries in ASEAN. It also shows the quality of the training that we have given our workers,” Marcos said.

“You have once again proved to the world the value of the Filipino worker. And to encourage you and so to encourage others to follow in your footsteps, meron tayong ibinibigay na mula sa tanggapan ko (you will receive cash rewards from my office).”

The President commended the competitors for bringing pride to the country and proving the world-class talent of Filipino workers.

He said the participants’ success proves Filipinos’ excellence in skilled labor and craftsmanship.

“Sa inyong ginawa at sa naging successful na resulta, pinakita lang natin na hindi ito haka-haka na sinasabing magaling ang Pilipinong manggagawa. Basta sabi natin, ito may pruweba na tayo, kung titignan mo, kung ikukumpara mo (With what you’ve done and the successful results you have achieved, we have shown that it’s not just hearsay when people say Filipino workers are skilled. We now have solid proof – something you can look at and compare),” he said.

Marcos also emphasized the importance of recognizing the competitors’ efforts not only as a form of gratitude but also as encouragement for future international competitions.

He expressed confidence that the country’s technical and vocational sector would continue to produce globally competitive workers, so long as young Filipinos are given the right training, support, and opportunities.

“‘Yung aming nararamdaman, basta ipinagmamalaki namin ang lahat ng mga Pilipino. Totoo naman may pinagbabasehan (What we feel is pride in all Filipinos, and rightly so, because there is real basis for that pride),” Marcos said.

The Philippines emerged as one of the top-performing nations at WorldSkills ASEAN Manila 2025, securing 10 gold medals during the competition held from Aug. 25 to 30 in Pasay City.

The gold medals were earned in 10 skill areas, including three demonstration events: Industrial Control, Carpentry, and Plumbing and Heating.

Aside from the gold medals, the Philippines also brought home seven silver and eight bronze medals, along with five Medallions for Excellence, which were awarded to competitors whose performance meets the rigorous international standards set by WorldSkills International. (PNA)