MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law on Tuesday a bill creating the National Academy of Sports (NAS), Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said.
Republic Act 11470 states that a national sports program shall be crafted and a secondary educational system within the said framework shall be institutionalized to develop the athletic skills of students and train them in world-class sports facilities.
The main campus shall rise at the existing New Clark City Sports Complex in Capas, Tarlac. The area will be equipped with the necessary sports facilities, housing and other amenities fit in the eyes of current international standards.
NAS will be attached to Department of Education (DepEd) and shall also be in close coordination with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). An executive director who will be appointed by DepEd will act as head of the academy.
PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, for his part, welcomed the signing of the measure as it is “a great boost to the country’s efforts to build a deeper grassroots sports program which feeds our elite sports programs.”
“Thank you for recognizing the important role of sports in national development thereby working towards providing opportunities for our talented and sports-inclined youth to hone their talents further earlier in their life,” he said.
PSC commissioner Ramon Fernandez, on the other hand, likened the signing into law of NSA to “hitting two birds with one stone.”
“Affording our youth quality education and world-class sports training is indeed a very commendable move, to say the least,” said Fernandez. “This will definitely propel, prepare and encourage our athletes to compete creditably in the world stage.”
Prior to the signing of the measure, President Duterte mentioned the establishment of NAS in his State of the Nation Address last year./PN
