National sports academy pushed

MANILA, Philippines — The proposal to establish a sports academy for high school students to create a deeper pool of world-class national athletes in the country has started moving in the Senate.

The Senate committee on basic education, chaired by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, tackled the bill filed by Senators Sonny Angara, Pia Cayetano and Christopher Go seeking the creation of a national sports institution for high school students.

Cayetano explained that creating a sports academy for high school students would greatly help ensure the welfare of the youth and lay the foundation for the future of Philippine sports.

Go’s Senate Bill 397 seeks to create the National Academy of Sports for High School (NASHS) that will serve as the premier training center to develop the athletic skills and talents of high school students.

The NASHS is envisioned to equip the students with “the necessary academic skills and conducive environment that will shape the future of international sports champions,” Go said.

The NASHS is proposed to be put up in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, with an initial proposed funding of P150 million.

Angara’s Senate Bill 330 seeks the creation of a Philippine High School for Sports (PHSS), an educational institution dedicated to developing budding young athletes while providing them with quality secondary education.

He said the establishment of a PHSS will help the country in coming up with a deeper pool of athletes for its national teams.

Angara said training should start at an early age and should be focused and well-funded.

“We won’t have gold medalists in the Olympics and it’s hopeless for us to have a Filipino in premier leagues like NBA and MLB if we won’t be serious in training our athletes,” Angara said.

During the hearing, Go said preparations for the NASHS are underway.