SEN. Christopher Lawrence 'Bong' Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, on Tuesday, attended the presentation and signing of the deed of donation for the land on which the Philippine Sports Training Center (PSTC) will be built in Bataan. 'Ako naman po sa Senado, bilang committee chair on sports, asahan po ninyo ang aking suporta. Bilisan na po natin. Alam n'yo po, 'pag nagtutulungan ang ating mga atleta at ating gobyerno at private sector ay malayo po ang ating mararating (As chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, you can expect for my support. Let us do it fast. You know, if the athletes and our government and the private sector help each other, we will go places),' said Go, recounting how cooperation between the government and other sectors of society resulted in the Philippines finishing first in the medal tally during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.'Tulad po ng nangyari noong 2019 na nagtulungan po ang lahat ay nag-number one po tayo sa Southeast Asian Games. Ito naman pong training center na gagawin ngayon ay para po ito sa mga atleta na magpa-participate po sa Southeast Asian Games, sa Olympics (As what happened in 2019 wherein everybody helped each other and we were number one in the Southeast Asian Games. And this training center to be constructed now is for the athletes who will participate in the Southeast Asian Games, in the Olympics),' he added as he assured his support for the planned sports facility.Six lots with a total land area of around 250,000 square meters in the municipality of Bagac were donated by the Provincial Government of Bataan for the establishment of the PSTC. The facility will be constructed and completed by 2025.Signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in February 2019, Republic Act (RA)11214 provides for the creation of the PSTC which seeks 'to promote and develop sports in the country, to achieve excellence in international sports competitions, to ensure success in the country's quest to achieve competitiveness in the Olympic Games and to promote international amity among nations.'Not to be confused with the National Academy of Sports (NAS), Go said both facilities are the government's gifts to national athletes. Duterte signed into law RA 11470 which establishes the National Academy of Sports in June last year. Go was one of the principal authors of the measure.Earlier, Go praised Duterte for his approval of the timely release of the budget for the construction of the facilities and amenities of the National Academy of Sports (NAS) at the New Clark City Sports Complex in Capas, Tarlac. The government will release a total of P729 million to cover the construction costs, civil works requirements, fixtures, furniture, equipment and consultancy services.'Puwede na pong mag-umpisa ang building ng National Academy of Sports. Dalawa po ito. Bukod sa PSTC, another dream come true sa akin itong National Academy of Sports (The building of the National Academy of Sports can now start. Besides the PSTC, the National Academy of Sports is also a dream come true for me),' he added.The NAS will develop and implement a secondary education program, integrated with a special curriculum on sports, targeting young Filipinos with the talent and desire to further develop their sporting skills. Full scholarship will be offered to qualified natural-born secondary school students.Among others, the law requires the main campus of the NAS shall be established at the existing New Clark City Sports Complex in Capas, Tarlac. It shall be equipped with the necessary sports facilities, housing and other amenities according to current international standards. School buildings with sufficient number of classrooms and facilities shall also be constructed at the complex. Meanwhile, the senator thanked the local government of Bataan, adding he will continue to advocate for the rights and welfare of Filipino athletes, particularly in terms of the funding support they need when training for major international events. Go also expressed support for the country's grassroots programs and enhancement of sports awareness among Filipinos. Go also assured national athletes, particularly those qualified to participate in the upcoming Tokyo Summer Olympics and the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, both this year, they will be included in the priority list for Covid-19 vaccination.
