The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) fully supports the proposal of Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go to establish the National Academy of Sports in New Clark City.
Phase 1A of New Clark City, a smart and green metropolis rising within the Clark Special Economic Zone, includes the construction of sports facilities to be used for the Philippines' hosting of the 30th South East Asian Games (SEA Games) later this year. A new 20,000-seater Athletics Stadium and 2,000-seater Aquatics Center are already more than 90 percent finished, way ahead of the biennial games.
BCDA and its partner, infrastructure developer MTD Clark, Inc., are scheduled to start the testing of facilities as early as September. Athletes will be housed in the Athletes' Village, and will have access to modern training facilities.
"We laud the initiative of Senator Bong Go to push sports development in the country further. New Clark City is the perfect venue for the National Academy of Sports, being the home of a world-class sports complex. BCDA hopes the move will inspire the next generation of elite athletes," said BCDA President and CEO Vince Dizon.
New Clark City is one of the flagship projects under the Duterte administration's Build Build Build infrastructure program.
Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, said putting up the National Academy of Sports for High School in New Clark City will "maximize the use of the facilities and enable our student-athletes to hone their skills, give them proper exposure to world class sports facilities and possibly join the National Athletes Pool in various events."
In November last year, Go joined more than a hundred national athletes in inspecting the New Clark City sports facilities. The then former Special Assistant to the President, Go said the new facilities is the administration's gift to our hardworking athletes.
New Clark City Phase 1A is set to be inaugurated by President Rodrigo Duterte in November.