PASAY CITY -- Senator and Chair of the Senate Committee on Sports Christopher "Bong" Go has expressed his full support for the proposed 2022 budgets of the Games and Amusements Board and the Philippine Sports Commission.
In his speech during a hearing conducted by the Committee on Finance on Monday, September 27, Go said that investing in sports will not only allow the country to develop more world-class athletes, it will also keep the youth away from illegal drugs and other harmful vices.
"Sa katunayan, ito po ang aking hangad noong isinulong ko ang Republic Act No. 11470 upang buksan ang National Academy for Sports sa New Clark City para sa mga kabataang atleta," said Go, also Vice Chair of the Finance Committee.
"At meron na pong nag-enroll sa school year na ito sa tulong na rin po ni Sen. Pia Cayetano na mapabilis at mabuksan ngayong taong ito ang National Academy for Sports," he added.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law RA 11470 in June last year. It seeks to establish the National Academy of Sports in New Clark City where student-athletes can enjoy a level of training which is at par with the best in the world and, at the same time, be given quality education.
The NAS will develop and implement a secondary education program, integrated with a special curriculum on sports, targeting young Filipinos with the talent and desire to develop further their sporting skills. Full scholarship will be offered to qualified natural-born secondary school students.
In his first month as a Senator, Go filed Senate Bill No. 397 that sought to establish a high school for sports. It was one of his priority bills filed in the present 18th Congress and was also mentioned by President Duterte in his last State of the Nation Address as part of the priority legislative agenda of the administration.
Meanwhile, during the hearing, Go pointed out that the PSC and GAB need budgetary support more than ever, as they are finding it difficult to keep the country's sports program afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Go also shared that during the same deliberation of last year's budget, he advocated for the inclusion of PhP100 million to the agencies' budget, which was later on increased to PhP250 million.
"This was necessary to support our athletes' preparations for the Olympics and other international events," he said.
Go similarly supported the allocation of an additional PhP7.945 million budget for Paralympics preparations. "Nagpapasalamat po tayo sa mga kasamahan natin sa suporta para sa mga ito," Go thanked.
Outside the budget deliberations, Go also sought assistance from various sectors to help finance the development of the country's promising athletes.
"Bukod po dito, tumulong din ako sa pag-apela sa ating gobyerno na maisama ang ating mga Olympians sa COVID-19 vaccine priority list noong panahong kaunti pa lang ang ating bakuna upang maging ligtas sila sa pag-eensayo at pakipaglahok sa Tokyo Olympics," said Go.
Go noted that the additional financial support for athletes and the country's sports program has started to bear fruit, citing the Philippines' attainment of its first-ever gold medal in the recently concluded 2020 Tokyo Olympics, along with two silver medals and a bronze medal.
"Nagbunga naman po ng maganda ang ating pagbigay ng sapat na budget sa ating mga atleta. For the first time ever, nagkaroon po tayo ng kauna-unahang gold medal, kasama na po ang dalawang silver medals at isang bronze medal," Go said.
"Napakalaking karangalan po ito para sa ating bansa. Through our efforts, the Philippines became the top performing country in Southeast Asia in the recent Tokyo Olympics," he added.
Go then urged his fellow senators to support the budget for PSC and GAB for the continued sports development in the country.
"Kaya naman po hinihimok ko ang ating mga kasamahan na suportahan ang budget ng PSC at GAB para tuloy tuloy lang po ang sports development sa ating bansa," said Go.
"For these reasons, I have no objections to the proposed budget, at kung pwede pa pong dagdagan ay dagdagan pa po natin," he added.
Ending his speech, Go then commended the agencies for making the most of their 2021 budgets despite constraints.
"Ako po ay natutuwa dahil nagagamit ng husto ang pondong ipinagkaloob sa ating mga ahensya noong nakaraang taon despite the limited budgetary resources," said Go.
"This year, I am sure that our agencies will likewise utilize the budget prudently and wisely for the benefit of our nation," he ended.
During the same hearing, Go also expressed his support for the proposed 2022 budget of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office. (OSBG)
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