After a strong showing of the Gilas Pilipinas, Azkals and the Philippine Dragonboat teams in international tournaments, a senator is pushing for the establishment of a National Sports Training Center (NSTC) that will further provide right, focused and scientific training to amateur athletes as they strive to become the next big names in the sports world.

In his Senate Bill No. 2367, Senator Bam Aquino said the NSTC would not only serve as the official venue of training for athletes, but it would also be the center for sports science research and development.

“The development of grassroots sports in the country has long been overdue.  Despite the Filipinos’ love for sports and athletics, support to achieve sustained excellence in sports from the private and public sector has been lacking,” Aquino said.

Aquino stressed that the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), despite its limited resources, has been trying to support national athletes with a proper support system, international exposure, monthly training stipends and adequate training equipment.

However, Aquino said one major gap is a state-of-the-art facility where budding athletes can be turned into national champions and world icons.

“Through this center, we hope to produce another Lydia de Vega, Elma Muros-Posadas and Felix Barrientos, who made the country proud in the international stage,” said Aquino.

“Also, our basketball team Gilas Pilipinas, football team Azkals and the dragon boat squad will have a permanent center for training and conditioning in preparation for international events.”

The training center shall have the following sports facilities and amenities for the following non-water based sports such as archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, contacts sports  (Taekwondo, Karate, Judo, Wrestling), cycling (Velodrome), dance sport, football, gymnastics, handball, lawn tennis, sepak takraw, shooting, softball, squash, table tennis, volleyball, wall climbing and weightlifting.

The center will also have other amenities, including an archery multipurpose gymnasium, administration building, athletes’ dormitory, sports science building, mess hall, recreation hall, library, weight training building, school building and conference/ seminar hall.