Speaking as the Chairperson of both the Senate Committees on Sports and on Youth, Go underscored the crucial role of such athletic events in cultivating values, discipline, and opportunities for young athletes across the regions.
At the heart of his message was a straightforward advice to the participants, rooted in his long-standing advocacy for sports as a pillar of nation-building. He told the young competitors plainly: “get into sports, stay away from illegal drugs to keep us healthy and fit.”
Go’s approach to sports has been translated into programs and institutions that serve as long-term anchors for youth development.
At the center of this is the National Academy of Sports (NAS), established under Republic Act No. 11470, which Go authored and co-sponsored. Located in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac, the NAS offers a dual-track system that combines quality secondary education with specialized athletic training, allowing student-athletes to pursue academic excellence while developing their athletic abilities within a structured program.
Recognizing that elite training centers must not be concentrated in Luzon alone, Go moved to expand the model nationwide. He filed Senate Bill No. 171, or the proposed National Academy of Sports Regional Expansion, to establish NAS campuses across the country—particularly in Visayas and Mindanao. If enacted and implemented, these campuses will provide full scholarships and mirror the academic and athletic standards of the NAS main campus to ensure genuine accessibility and balanced development of talent, regardless of geography or socioeconomic background.
Complementing these reforms, Go filed SBN 413 or the Philippine National Games bill, institutionalizing a unified nationwide grassroots sports competition that functions as a recruitment platform for National Sports Associations.
Meanwhile, SBN 678, or the proposed National Tertiary Games Act, seeks to formalize a collegiate multi-sport tournament to nurture and showcase athletic talent at the university level, providing a clear pipeline from school-based leagues to higher tiers of competition.
At the PEKAF tournament, Go recognized the leadership of fellow senator and majority leader Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, who serves as President of the Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation.
The PEKAF Mindanao Qualifying Tournament brought together approximately 500 Arnisadors from across Mindanao, gathered at the UP Mindanao venue to compete, to train, and to push forward the discipline that traces its lineage to pre-colonial warriors.
Senator Go also recognized local leadership and organizers who work behind the scenes to nurture sports communities. He publicly acknowledged OIC Michael Denton Aportadera of the Davao City Sports Development Office, noting the vital role of localized institutions that provide infrastructure and the administrative work needed to sustain youth engagement.
During the event, Go’s Malasakit Team distributed tokens during the gathering, reflecting the senator’s habit of meeting communities where they are.
Beyond athletic performance, Senator Go’s remarks implicitly tied Filipino martial arts to cultural identity. Arnis is not just a competitive discipline; it is an inheritance carried through centuries of struggle, colonization, and survival.
“Tandaan natin, minsan lang tayo dadaan sa mundong ito. Kung ano pong kabutihan o tulong o karangalan na pwede nating gawin sa ating kapwa at sa bansa ay gawin na natin ngayon dahil hindi na tayo babalik sa mundong ito,” reminded Go, who is known as Mr. Malasakit for his compassionate service to Filipinos in need.
“Ako ang inyong Senator Kuya Bong Go, patuloy na magseserbisyo sa inyong lahat, kabilang na sa ating mga atleta, dahil bisyo ko na ang magserbisyo at ako po ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo po ‘yan sa Diyos,” he concluded.
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