The dream of building a new sports training center of global standards, taken for granted and shelved by past Philippine governments, finally became a reality.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11214 or the Philippine Sports Training Center Act on February 14, sparking hope among Filipino athletes yearning for the best training facility for them to be at par with the world’s finest.
The PSTC, which will be established under the care of the Philippine Sports Commission, will replace the 85-year-old Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila and the outdated Philsports Complex in Pasig City as the training hub of the national athletes from various sports.
PSC chairman Butch Ramirez is upbeat on the potential impact of the PSTC not only on the improved training conditions of elite athletes, but also the opportunity it presents to develop sports on the countryside down to the grassroots level.
“This is a happy development for Philippine sports,” said Ramirez during Wednesday’s ceremonial Presidential signing at Malacanang.
“We, at the PSC, are extremely grateful to the President for making this historic development happen,” added Ramirez.
The PSTC was established primarily to promote and develop sports in the country, achieve excellence in international sports and ensure success in the quest to win medals in the Olympics aside from promoting international amity among nations.
Senator Sonny Angara is the chief sponsor of the PSTC in the Senate while Antipolo City congressman Chiqui Roa Puno and Abono partylist solon Conrado Estrella III have its backing in the House of Representatives.
The PSTC, planned to be built in a 20-hectare sports hub in Rosales, Pangasinan, is envisioned as a state-of-the-art and highly scientific training center wherein facilities and amenities for majority of the sports will be constructed.
It will serve as the official home and primary venue for the development of athletes in the national team and its corresponding training pools along with the sports science and research led the Philippine Sports Institute under the PSC.
A total of P3.5 billion has been earmarked for the construction of the PSTC with the ownership, including all of its facilities and amenities, vested upon the PSC.
“We will be hands-on in overseeing the operation and construction of the PSTC,” said Ramirez.
Among the structures that will rise inside the PSTC are the administration building, athletes and coaches dormitories, baseball field, beach volleyball courts, bowling center, covered swimming and diving pool, football field, gymnastics center;
Multi-purpose gymnasium, rugby pitch, shooting range, tennis courts, velodrome, sports science building, medical center and a multipurpose field for sports such as archery, BMX cycling, lawnballs and petanque, among others.