PSC mulls bigger venues at Teachers Camp

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – With enough money in the bank, the Philippine Sports Commission is also thinking of building a bigger and better training facility inside the government-owned Teachers Camp here.

PSC chairman Butch Ramirez brought up the idea yesterday at the close of the two-day directional meeting on physical fitness and sports development, attended by close to a hundred participants, including 16 mayors from nearby provinces like Ifugao, Nueva Viscaya, Abra, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and the Mountain Province.

Ramirez said close to 100 national athletes, mostly from track and field and boxing, are currently using the Teachers Camp, which is under the supervision of the Department of Education (DepEd), as their training quarters.

The PSC chief sat down with the athletes Monday evening, including those from canoe-kayak, who are here for a one-month strength and conditioning program. He toured the camp and found the urgent need to upgrade the facility.

“We can fix this place and build a dome that can accommodate eight to 10 sports. We can build a complex and a dormitory that can house as many as 400 athletes. It is very ideal,” he said.

Because of its high elevation and cool weather the country’s summer capital still remains as the most ideal place to stay for the national atheletes, especially those wanting and needing high-altitude training.  

“It’s not a bad idea to put up a new complex here. We have a very good relationship with the DepEd and the local government headed by Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan,” said Ramirez.

The former educator and sports coordinator of Davao City mentioned track and field, boxing, taekwondo, wushu, cycling as Olympic sports that can train athletes.

The project may cost P100 million or more. But Ramirez said the PSC has enough money in its coffers to embark on such project as long as it’s for the long-term benefit of the national athletes.

The PSC has over P1 billion in the bank, left behind by the previous PSC administration, and close to P100 million provided monthly by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor).