Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go joined President Rodrigo Duterte in the final inspection of the National Academy of Sports (NAS) on Tuesday at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
In his speech, Duterte said since he was still his aide, Go has been dreaming of establishing a sports complex that will facilitate the training while providing quality education for aspiring athletes.
“At the time he was an aide, it (NAS) has been his dream,” said the Chief Executive referring to the youthful lawmaker who is also a basketball enthusiast and an avid sports fan.
Go said developing excellent athletes who can bring pride to the country requires collective effort of the entire nation.
He added that good athletes do not rise out of nowhere as it requires years of training with a whole-of-nation approach to ensure their welfare.
“Developing athletes who will bring pride and glory to the country is a collective effort of the entire country. It’s going to be hard to reach their dream for themselves, for their families and for their country if they will not have any support,” Go said.
“Their victory is also the victory of the country. But in this victory, we need to collective effort, not just from our athletes, but also from us who have the mandate to support them in their preparations for their trainings and competitions.”
“That’s why I’m glad to establish this institution that will give them a chance to train and sharpen their skills — not only as athletes but also as productive members of the society.”
As part of his vision to provide a dedicated academy for promising young athletes, Go authored and co-sponsored a bill in the Senate which became Republic Act No. 11470 in 2020.
The law provided for the establishment of the NAS System and Main Campus.
Date: June 16, 2022 | Newspaper: Tribune | Source: https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2022/06/16/go-sports-academy-a-dream-come-true/
