Filipino celebrities and public figures, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Lisa Araneta Marcos, also congratulated Yulo.
“Kaloi, words cannot express how proud I am of you. You have won the gold medal for the Philippines not once, but twice! Filipinos all over the world are united in cheering and supporting you,” Marcos wrote on Facebook.
The Philippine government will pay the gymnast 10 million Philippine pesos (US$173,300, £135,400), the gold medallist's bonus, and a real estate company has promised to give him a fully furnished three-bedroom apartment in McKinley Hill, Metro Manila's largest condominium development.
The House of Representatives pledged an additional P6 million in cash incentives to Yulo, with House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez describing Yulo as a “sports hero” and a “national treasure.”
Even hospitals and universities rolled out the red carpet for the national hero. One gastroenterologist offered Yulo free checkups and colonoscopies for life, and the University of Mindanao promised free college credits.
What awaits him is ramen that he can eat for the rest of his life., OutMac and cheese and roasted chicken, available at several restaurant chains.
Meanwhile, in the capital city of Manila, where Yulo was born and raised, a “hero's welcome” is being prepared for him.
“The grandest welcome will be extended to him and all the Paris Olympians. Upon meeting him, we will present Carlos Yulo with cash incentives, awards and symbols of our everlasting gratitude to the proud capital of the Philippines,” said the city’s mayor, Honey Lacuna.
Additional reporting by Virma Simonette in Manila
