“Mabuhay siya! Nilampasan pa niya ang achievement niyang silver sa Rio. Nakaukit ang pangalan niya sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas dahil sa kauna unahang gold medal ?? ng bansa. Congrats sa kanya, sa coaches niya, mga taga Zamboanga, at sa buong bansa na binigyan niya ng rason mag celebrate at matuwa at magkaisa!,” Angara said.

As the author and sponsor of Republic Act 10699 or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act, Angara said Diaz and her coaches will receive cash rewards for winning gold in Tokyo.

For Diaz, Angara said she will receive P10 million and an Olympic Gold Medal of Valor to be issued by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Her coaches, on the other hand, will receive the equivalent to fifty percent of the cash incentives for gold medalists or P5 million. 

“The entire nation celebrates with Hidilyn for bringing home the elusive gold medal in the Olympics. This comes at a time when we are all longing for some good news. Salamat Hidilyn at pinakita mo sa buong mundo ang galing ng Pinoy!,” Angara said.

Senator Pia Cayetano thanked Diaz for lifting the pride and honor of the entire Filipino nation, literally, on her shoulders.

“When you burst into tears as the Philippine flag was being raised, millions of Filipinos wept with joy with you. The national anthem never sounded so sweet! Mabuhay ka, and congratulations also to your crew of coaches, trainers, and the people you relied upon everyday,” Cayetano said.

Senate Committee on Sports chairman Bong Go, meanwhile said seeing the Philippine flag flying high inspires the Filipinos further to overcome the challenges and rise triumphant amid the crises we are facing. 

“As chair of the Senate Committee on Sports and on behalf of the Filipino people, thank you for giving us hope and bringing pride once more to our beloved country,” Go said.

“Thank you, Hidilyn, for making your country proud and lifting the Filipino spirits to new heights,” Senator Grace Poe stressed.

For Senator Joel Villanueva, Diaz etched her name in the country’s sporting history after ending the Olympic gold medal drought and set a new Olympic record. 

“Lupang Hinirang is played on the world stage once more, and we cannot help but beam with pride,” Villanueva said.

“Literal na binuhat ni Hidilyn Diaz ang sambayanang Pilipino ngayong gabi, sa bigat na 127kgs. Sa isang iglap, napawi ang matagal na uhaw ng ating bayan sa mailap na Olympic Gold Medal,” he added.

For his part, Senator Panfilo Lacson said more than making history for bringing the Philippines its first Olympic Gold Medal, weightlifter Diaz has brought national honor, national pride, and good news to the Philippines at a time the Filipinos need them most.

“And more than lifting the nation on her shoulders and beating a field that included China’s pride, Hidilyn has become a unifying and rallying point for us Filipinos, to carry the weight of the humongous problems we face,” Lacson said.