PARIS Olympics bronze medal winners Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas headline the honor roll in the 2nd PSC All Women Sports Awards set this coming Saturday at the Century Park Hotel.

The two lady boxers will be the recipient of the Female Athletes of the Year honor following their podium finish in the 33rd edition of the Summer Games held last year in the French capital.

“We will actually honor our Olympic bronze medalists Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas. Sila yung ating Female Athletes of the Year,” Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Executive Director Paulo Tatad officially announced on Tuesday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Tatad represented in the weekly session Commissioner and bowling great Bong Coo, who was the brainchild behind the event in cooperation with the PSC to honor outstanding Filipino women in the field of sports and their achievements and contributions to the Philippine sports landscape.

Likewise, the program is being held in celebration of the National Women’s Month.

PSC All-Women Sports Award secretariat head Rachel Dumuk joined Tatad in the same Forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.

Dumuk said aside from the Athletes of the Year, also to be handed out are Lifetime Achievement Award, Major Awards, Outstanding Female Coaches of the Year, Flame Awards, Special Citations, Female Executive Awards, and Posthumous Awards.

Hangzhou Asian Games jiu-jitsu gold medal winner Meggie Ochoa, who recently retired from competing, is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Bata pa itong Lifetime Awardee natin si Meggie Ochoa, given what she has contributed to the sport so far. She just retired as an athlete, but at the same time she’s taking up coaching as she wants to impact the next generation of jiu-jitsu athletes,” said Tatad.

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala, Agatha Wong of wushu, and 77-year-old wonder and ultramarathoner Erlinda Ogsimer, will be recognized with the Flame Awards, which is given to female sports icons who became symbols of their respective sports.

Also to be recognized are several Para athletes, who are achievers in their own rights including the likes of Agustina Bantiloc (para archer), Cendy Asusano (para javelin throw), Citadel Mendoza (para chess), Andrea Estrella (para obstacle course), Edilyn De Asis (para dancesport), Marydol Pamati-an (para powerlifting), Achelle ‘Jinky’ Guion (para powerlifting), and Angel Otom (para swimming).

A total of 136 awardees will be cited and given a plaque of citations and commemorative rings courtesy of the PSC under Chairman Richard Bachmann.

The selection committee was composed of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, fellow Olympian Akiko Thompson, Judith Staples of the National Masters and Seniors Athletics Association of the Philippines, Nestle Philippines executive Veronica Cruz, and an official from  the PSC-POC Media Group.