National athletes will move out of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex whether or not the ageing venue that has served as their home for the past 79 years is put up for sale or not by the Manila city government.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., yesterday said the athletes—numbering about 1,000— need a spacious training center away from the noise and air pollution of Manila.
Appearing at the Olympic Day celebration at University of Makati grounds, the POC chief said sports like archery and equestrian still have no home grounds to call their own.
Vice President Jejomar Binay was the guest speaker at the event that was also attended by former President Fidel Ramos.
The POC also awarded Inquirer’s June Navarro for his contribution to the Olympic movement through the sports media.
Cojuangco mentioned the piece of property in Clark Field, Pampanga, which he said has tennis courts and track oval that were built by the American troops when it was still a military base.