By EJ Roque/PNA
MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte has signed a bill establishing a state-of-the-art and highly-scientific sports complex to be known as the Philippine Sports Training Center (PSTC).
Republic Act No. 11214 otherwise known as Philippine Sports Training Center Act signed by Duterte on Feb. 14 was in line with the government’s policy “to promote and develop sports in the country”.
It also aims “to achieve excellence in international sports competitions, to ensure success in the country’s quest to achieve competitiveness in the Olympic Games and to promote international amity among nations”.
The proposed PSTC will have a budget of PHP3.5 billion for the construction of the sports training center which will serve as “official home and primary venue” of the national teams and its correspondent training pools.
According to the law, scientific principles and programs as well as proven training techniques and modern equipment and facilities “that are at par with international standards” will be used in the development of the national athletes.
The proposed sports training center will undergo a six-month planning period and afterwards is targeted to be constructed within 18 months.
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is tasked to manage the center once operational.
The law said the location of the sports training center shall be “conducive to high-level training of athletes, coaches, and referees”.
The PSTC shall have sports and training facilities and amenities for at least 39 national sports associations (NSAs).
Some of the proposed facilities inside the PSTC are athletes and coaches’ dormitory, baseball field, beach volleyball courts, bowling center, covered swimming and diving pool, football field, gymnastic center, track and field oval, tennis courts, velodrome, rugby pitch, sports science building among others.