The Athletics Stadium in New Clark City, Tarlac province, has a 20,000 seating capacity. (Maria Adelaida Calayag)
MANILA, Philippines — The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is seeking an additional P229 million for the National Academy of Sports since the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) did not include funding for it under the proposed P4.5 trillion budget for 2021.
“Hindi po sinama ng DBM sa National Expenditure Program ang budget for the National Sports Academy kasi hindi pa yata po napirmahan that time nung pine-prepare po [yung budget],” BCDA president Vince Dizon said during a Senate budget hearing on Monday.
(The DBM did not include in the National Expenditure Program the budget for the National Sports Academy because the law seeking its establishment was not yet signed at the time the budget was being prepared.)
“We are actually requesting for some funding based on the newly passed law,” he added.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed last June 10 Republic Act No. 11470 or the National Academy of Sports Act, which seeks to boost the development of sports in the Philippines and to develop world-class Filipino athletes.
The main campus of the NAS will be established at the existing New Clark City Sports Complex in Capas, Tarlac, and will be constructed by the BCDA.
Some P229 million is needed to fund the first phase of development for the national sports academy, Dizon told senators.
He said the BCDA made a similar request for funding to the House of Representatives.
“On going pa po yung master planning ngayon (The master planning is ongoing) we are waiting for the new executive director as well as the Board of Trustees,” Dizon said when asked to submit to the Senate a roadmap for the establishment of the academy.
Under the law, the incumbent education secretary will be the chairperson of the academy’s Board of Trustees.
Meanwhile, an executive director, as appointed by the DepEd chief and preferably someone who hails from the field of sports, will head the NAS and will be responsible for the academy’s administration and operation.