After a journey that went from almost quitting gymnastics to becoming the Philippines’ first double gold medalist at the Olympics, it made sense that Carlos Yulo unlocked generational wealth. But as the Philippine government and private bigwigs jumped in to shower Yulo with well-deserved rewards, one of the prize offerings was a peculiar one.

Rather, it had a peculiar clause unrelated to Carlos Yulo’s victories in the men’s floor exercise and vault events.

Courtesy of the 24-year-old’s monumental achievements, the government pledged a whopping PhP 20 million (~$340,000), and the House of Representatives threw in another PhP 14 million (~$240,000). All in all, Carlos’ prize pot hit around PhP 34 million (yup, anyone would be floating!). But, as they say, “mo’ money, mo’ problems…”

In addition to the PhP 34 million (~$580,000), former member of the House of Representatives Chavit Singson offered Carlos Yulo and his family PhP 5 million (~$86,000). He announced this via a Facebook video in late August after the Yulo family’s disputes became the talk of the town following the Olympics. Singson hoped this would help in “fostering unity within the family.” But what exactly happened?

After winning his second gold medal, Carlos alleged that his mother, Angelica, had been dipping into his 2022 World Championships winnings (speculated to be in the six figures)—without even a heads-up! Angelica appeared in an interview and addressed the claims, sharing her side of the story. But the tensions between them are still rife, and those family rifts haven’t healed, unlike what Chavit Singson had hoped.

The former governor had said, “I’ll give five million pesos just so they can be together as a family… I’ll give your family five million pesos if you can forgive each other.” Now that two months have passed and Carlos Yulo and his mother haven’t reconciled yet, Singson reiterated his offering, stating that it still stands. But so does his condition.

As reported by Philstar Global on October 24, the veteran politician wants the entire Yulo family (and Carlos’ girlfriend) united on the stage to accept the cash prize. “It is God’s command to honor thy father and thy mother,” Singson said. Given Singson’s reputation for promoting sports and athletes in the Philippines, the PhP 5 million prize offering was not unexpected. But his conditions have come out of the blue. 

Over the past three months, the family drama has had its fair share of ups and downs. But it’s never come close to a resolution. At least, that’s what it has felt like. In fact, Carlos’ girlfriend Chloe San Jose’s entry into the plot has dragged it to a further low. Notably, Carlos’s parents have repeatedly blamed Chloe for acting as the catalyst for the cracks between the family members. Rumor says that Carlos’ mother feels Chloe is the culprit behind her boyfriend’s money issue.

With all this going on, Chavit Singson shared his reasoning behind wanting to see Yulo’s family united. “In offering this reward, I hope to send a powerful message that the success of an individual is never solely their own; it is shared by those who stand by them, offering love, guidance, and unwavering support.” Since this announcement, Yulo hasn’t issued any public response to Singson’s offer. Moreover, the former governor mentioned that he had no means of contacting the gymnast directly.

Seeing as that may still be the case, we can only wait for Carlos Yulo to publicly acknowledge Singson’s prize. But if he fails to comply with the condition after the politician reiterated it, the 24-year-old will lose out on adding another $86,000 to his earnings. That said, Yulo’s mother once came forward with an explanation for the allegations. 

Carlos Yulo’s mother made her case, stating there is “no perfect family” 

In August this year, Carlos Yulo blamed his mother for withdrawing money from his account. Additionally, he questioned Angelica Yulo’s unauthorized entry to matters like his bank account and his “monthly allowances for gymnastics.” To back his statements, the two-time world champion gymnast released the bank statements, revealing the withdrawals made by his mother and the mismatched answers he received from her. In his TikTok video, Carlos went into the fine details while narrating the situation. 

The gymnast even accused Angelica of lying to him for the duration. “The 70,000 pesos ($1,221) incentives she mentioned from the World Championships in 2021, first of all, it was actually in 2022,” he said, sharpening his attack. However, he added, “My message to you, Ma, is I hope you heal and move on. I have forgiven you a long time ago. I pray that you are always safe and sound.” While he may have forgiven her, they’ve definitely not reconciled. Given the situation, Angelica gave an interview where she accepted the withdrawal of money from the gymnast’s account. But she had her reasons.

She said, “The money was given to me. As a mother, I was worried that my child might have financial problems in the future. So I invested it under my name.” With that, the teary-eyed mother begged to mend the relationship with the family. Addressing Carlos, she said, “I am not a perfect mother and God knows that you are not a perfect son. There is no perfect family.” But the rift hasn’t seen an end yet.

Now, with Carlos’ earnings on the line, this family feud could impact him even more. So what’s next for Yulo? Will he work toward reconciliation for the reward or stand his ground to protect his independence? Let us know your thoughts.