Go lauded the local government of Datu Abdullah Sangki for the initiative to support athletes in their locality and further expressed his confidence that the establishment of the sports facilities will bring grassroots sports development closer to promising athletes in the countryside.
“Bilang inyong Chair ng Senate Committee on Sports, nakakatuwa talagang makitang malapit na matapos ang sports complex dito sa bayan ng Datu Abdullah Sangki. Tiwala ako na napakarami sa ating mga kapatid na Pilipino ang makikinabang sa proyektong ito,” said Go.
The senators were joined by Maguindanao del Sur Governor Bai Mariam Sangki Mangudadatu, Sultan Kudarat Governor Datu Pax Ali Sangki Mangudadatu, and Datu Abdullah Sangki Mayor Datu Suharto Al wali Sangki Mangudadatu.
As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go pushed for the funding of the said facility in the 2021 General Appropriations Act. The sports and recreational complex is expected to be the biggest one in South Central Mindanao.
The sports complex will include a grand stadium; track and field; covered basketball, sepak takraw, and volleyball courts; indoor tennis and badminton court; and an administrative building.
“Matagal nang kailangan ng ating mga atleta ang suporta. Kaya naman ipagpatuloy lang sana natin ang mga ganitong inisyatibo dahil napakarami talaga sa ating mga kabataan ang magaling sa larangan ng palakasan. Ngunit iilan lang ang nagiging professional athletes dahil hindi po natutustusan ang kanilang mga pangangailangan, kulang ang training at walang access sa maayos na facilities,” he cited.
“Karamihan sa kanila, naipapatuloy lang ang kanilang pangarap kapag nabibigyan ng pagkakataon sa tulong ng pribadong sektor. Kaya tama lang na maglaan ang gobyerno ng resources para dito upang mabigyan ng pantay na oportunidad ang mga atleta kahit saan man silang sulok ng bansa,” he added.
In line with his priority to support the country’s sports sector, Go underscored the importance of investing in grassroots sports development. He then noted that giving equal access and opportunities to aspiring athletes will not only hone their skills and talents, but will also significantly instill discipline and help them avoid illegal drugs and other vices.
The lawmaker filed Senate Bill No. 423, otherwise known as the Philippine National Games (PNG) Act of 2022, which seeks to ensure a more inclusive system of honing promising and potential Filipino athletes in various fields of sport, giving them an equal opportunity of becoming future contenders in international sporting competitions.
Not to be confused with Palarong Pambansa, the PNG is a national multi-sport tournament that aims to widen the base talent identification and efficiently constitute the national pool to be trained for international sports competition.
“This will not only help the country become one of the sports powerhouses in Asia but also encourage our young people to stay away from illegal drugs and criminality by getting into sports,” he reiterated.
Furthermore, Go also successfully authored and co-sponsored Republic Act No. 11470, establishing the National Academy of Sports at the New Clark City Sports Complex in Capas, Tarlac.
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.