THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will build the Philippine Sports Training Center (PSTC) on pieces of land donated by the provincial government of Bataan.
PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez received the deed of donation from Bataan Governor Albert Raymond “Abet” Garcia on Tuesday.
“I am so happy and excited on this newly-forged partnership with the Provincial Government of Bataan,” Ramirez said. “This will give our national athletes a new home as they continue to bring pride and honor to our country.”
Ramirez said the donation became doubly significant because he celebrated his 71st birthday on Tuesday.
“This is one of the best birthday gifts I ever received,” he said.
Bataan donated to the PSC six lots in the municipality of Bagac with a total land area of 25 hectares.
“I thank the PSC and all those who helped in making this project a success,” Garcia said. “This will surely benefit our athletes.”
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth and Sports, witnessed the ceremony and vowed to support the PSTC.
“For as long as the government and athletes unite together, we’ll go far and wide,” Go said. “Rest assured, I am fully behind the establishment of the PSTC.”
Ramirez said that after many months of weighing options and offers, the PSC accepted Bataan’s offer giving the strategic location of the lots and their significance to the country’s.
Republic Act 11214, the law that created PSTC, seeks “to promote and develop sports in the country, 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,” was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last February 2019.
An amount of P3.5 billion was appropriated by the law for infrastructure and will be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. The amount is intended to carry out other provisions of the act, particularly for the maintenance, operation and management of the PSTC.
A clause in the deed of donation states that an infrastructure “shall be constructed and completed by December 31, 2025, subject to extension upon agreement by the parties.”
Ramirez was joined by PSC Commissioners Ramon Fernandez, Arnold Agustin and Celia Kiram and National Training Director Marc Velasco. Garcia was joined by Second District Representative Jose Enrique Garcia III, Dinalupihan Mayor Maria Angela Garcia and Engr. Emmanuel Pineda.