PRESIDENT Rodrigo Roa Duterte led the groundbreaking rites of the Philippine Sports Training Center (PSTC) in Bagac, Bataan on Friday, which will serve as a new state-of-the-art sports training facility for national athletes.

The President highlighted the impact of sports development on the positive development of the Filipino youth.

“This project shows our concerted effort and how it can create a huge impact on the future of our athletes and of the Filipino youth as a whole. With this facility I am confident, we will raise and develop more world-class athletes who will represent the Philippines in international competitions and usher the Philippine sports industry here in the country,” Duterte said in his speech.

The president commended everyone involved in “this great project which should be the future home and primary venue and development of our national athletes. I wish to recognize the contribution and generosity of the Bataan Provincial Government for donating 250,000 square meters of land here in Bagac for the establishment of the PSTC.”

Republic Act 11214 was signed in February 2019, which gives the mandate to create an advanced sports facility that will promote and develop sports in the country and ensure the country’s success in the Olympic Games and promote international amity among nations.

“Our country has been wanting an advanced national sports training facility for a long time, and the creation of the PSTC could not have come at the most opportune time. We at the Philippine Sports Commission are extremely grateful to our beloved President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for making this historic development in Philippine sports possible,” said PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez in his speech.

The sports agency chief added that this law and groundbreaking is truly a milestone as this will become only the second national sports training center since the construction of the historic Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila in the 1920s.

“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa inyo Pangulong Duterte at sa Philippine Sports Commission for choosing Bataan as the site of our Philippine Sports Training Center, kung saan ang ating elite athletes ay magte-training at kami ay maka pagsisimula ng aming grassroots program for future athletes ng bansa,” said Governor Albert Garcia, who was also joined by Congressman Joet Garcia.

As envisioned in the law, the PSTC will be located on a 25-hectare land in Brgy. Parang, Bagac, Bataan, which was donated by the Province of Bataan through Governor Albert Garcia, and will feature facilities and amenities for administrative, athletes, and coaches dormitories, sports science and medical centers, and worship and meditation rooms.

The state-of-the-art PSTC is also expected to include sports facilities for 39 Olympic and non-Olympic sports in aquatics, athletics, gymnastics, taekwondo, and weightlifting, among others.

The amount of P3.5 billion is appropriated by the law for the construction of infrastructure and shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

The said amount is necessary to carry out other provisions of the Act, particularly for the maintenance, operation, and management of the PSTC.

PSC Commissioner Arnold Agustin, Commissioner Celia Kiram and Commissioner Charles Raymond Maxey were also in attendance for the groundbreaking ceremony, together with Chief of Staff and National Training Director Marc Edward Velasco.