Inspection of the New Clark City Sports complex in Capas, Tarlac for the upcoming 30th Southeast Asian Games in November. Pathricia Roxas/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — After the Philippines hosts the biennial Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, House Speaker and SEA Games Organizing Committee Chair Alan Peter Cayetano said the government is eyeing to put up a national sports high school in New Clark City.
“Right after the SEA games, we want to convert that area of Clark. We’ll put up a national high school for sports na parang PMA [Philippine Military Academy], meaning everything bayad ng gobyerno, pati meals nila (everything will be paid for by the government, even their meals),” Cayetano said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Monday.
“So, from elementary, mamimili ng certain [students] na may potential. Then maybe 200 to 400 per year level, if they want, lipat na dun sila sa Clark. Dun na sila magju-junior, senior high school pero naka-focus sa sports,” he added.
(So, from elementary, certain students with potential will be picked. Then maybe 200 to 400 per year level, if they want, they could transfer to Clark and take up the rest of their high school education focusing on sports).
With sports facilities already built in New Clark City, Cayetano said it would be the “perfect “ site for potential athletes to grow.
“Clark itself, nandun na ‘yung aquatic center at saka athletic center but if you look at… ‘yung kabuuan ng Clark, there are four baseball fields there are a couple of football fields so perfect na for growing,” he added.
The Philippines is set to host the SEA Games from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.
One of the key venues for the event is the P13 billion sports complex in New Clark City in Tarlac which was developed by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
The sports hub boasts of a 20,000-seater athletics stadium, a 2,000-seat aquatics center with an Olympic-size pool, and a seven-building athlete’s village which will house the SEA Games athletes, officials and volunteers. /je