Several roads in Manila will be closed on Wednesday afternoon as the city hosts the Heroes’ Grand Homecoming Parade, celebrating the achievements of gymnast Carlos Yulo and pole vaulter Edward Obiena at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The parade, organized in coordination with the Office of the President, will begin at 3 p.m. and cover a 7.7-kilometer route from Aliw Theater in Pasay City to the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
Leading up to the event, posters of the Olympians have been displayed along the streets of Manila and the parade route.
A short program will conclude the festivities at the sports complex where Yulo, the 24-year-old gymnastics star from Malate, will be awarded P2 million by the Manila City government for his double gold victories in the floor exercise and vault events.
Obiena, who secured a commendable fourth-place finish in the men’s pole vault, will receive P500,000. These rewards from the Manila LGU are among many incentives for Yulo and the other Filipino medalists from Paris.
Yulo is also set to receive P20 million from the Philippine Sports Commission, as mandated by law, in recognition of his achievements. His success follows three years after Hidilyn Diaz won the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Bronze medalists Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio, who both excelled in women’s boxing, will each be awarded P2 million for their remarkable performances.
The Filipino Olympians arrived home on Tuesday afternoon, and that evening, real estate firm Megaworld hosted a banquet at the Hilton Hotel to honor the medalists and the entire Philippine contingent.
Megaworld held a victory party for Yulo and will be presented with the keys to a luxurious three-bedroom, fully furnished unit at McKinley Hills, valued at P32 million, along with a special cash bonus of P3 million, with the official presentation to be scheduled soon.
