Peping again bats for new nat’l sports training center

Replacing the outdated Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila with a new one would help improve the performance of the national athletes, according to Philippine Olympic Committee chief Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr.

“All the countries in our region have their own training centers,” said Cojuangco. “If we really want to figure well in the Southeast Asian Games, we should have our own training center, too.”

He said government support and funding have made it possible for Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia to put up multimillion-dollar sports complexes.

Cojuangco said the Philippine Sports Commission is checking a 45-hectare property in Clark Field, Pampanga, as the possible venue of the proposed training center.

Cojuangco has attempted twice to get the ambitious project off the ground since 2004.