Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said on June 15 that he wants to expand the National Academy of Sports system if proven successful by establishing campuses in different regions across the country.

“Kung maganda naman po ang magiging resulta, isa po sa isusulong ko bilang Committee Chair on Sports sa Senado ay maging regionalized po itong eskwelahang ito,” said Go after personally providing assistance to struggling residents in Tarlac City.

“Dadagdagan po per region, bibigyan po ng pasilidad doon, at makapag-training po ‘yung mga potential athletes natin at the same time na nag-aaral po. Marami po iyan sa buong Pilipinas,” he added.

Go authored and co-sponsored Republic Act No. 11470 which established the National Academy of Sports in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac. A government-run learning facility, the NAS offers a secondary education program with an integrated special curriculum on sports which was developed in close coordination with the Department of Education and Philippine Sports Commission.

The academy is equipped with world-class sports facilities, housing and other amenities on par with international standards. Sufficient number of classrooms and other facilities have also been built at the complex to provide a conducive learning environment for all the students.

Go was instrumental in the inclusion of the funding of the construction and operations of the National Academy of Sports in the 2021 budget.

Go then said that he will continue to work for and support grassroots sports development in the Philippines. This, he said, will also help carry on President Rodrigo Duterte’s legacy of combating illegal drugs and criminality. Sports participation, according to Go, will divert young Filipinos’ attention away from illegal drugs and other vices.

“Ako naman po, bilang Committee Chair on Sports sa Senado, ang advocacy ko po talaga ay sports and health. Kaya iniengganyo ko po ang ating mga kababayan na layuan po ang iligal na droga. Get into sports, stay away from drugs,” stressed the senator.

“Kaya namimigay po ako ng bola para hikayatin po sila na mag-basketball na lang po tayo, mag-volleyball na lang po kayo at iba pang sports,” he added.

On Tuesday, June 14, the senator also accompanied Duterte at New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac, for an inspection of NAS. The facility, according to Go, is a gift to the Filipino youth from the Duterte Administration.

Phase I of the project started on July 16, 2021, and is expected to be finished by the end of July 2022. Meanwhile, Phases II and III of the project are projected to be finished by the end of 2024.

The NAS received its first group of scholars during the start of the School Year 2021-2022 in September 2021. Meanwhile, face-to-face classes will be offered on a pilot basis at the start of the next school year.

“Isa po sa mapalad na probinsya ang Tarlac dahil ito po ang napili ng kauna-unahang National Academy of Sports. Ito pong eskwelahan na ito – training at the same time pag-aaral, pag-aaral at the same time training. Wala pong masasakripisyo,” said Go.

Aside from the NAS, Go also supported the creation of the Philippine Sports Training Center. It will be built in Bagac, Bataan and is set to be completed by 2025.

As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go also ensured in 2021 that adequate funding is included in the PSC’s budget this year to support athletes’ preparations for the Tokyo Olympics and other international competitions.

He also successfully appealed for additional incentives for Filipino athletes who bagged medals for the country at the 31st Southeast Asian Games held in Hanoi, Vietnam this year.

On the same day, Go also paid a monitoring visit to the Malasakit Center at the Tarlac Provincial Hospital.