A bill which aims to establish our nation’s first “sports” high school that will serve as a venue for young sports talents for the National Olympic team to hone them in achieving the country’s first Olympic gold medal.
Currently, we have the National Games and the Batang Pinoy that in some way serves the equivalent goal but the establishment of the said athletic high school can provide young athletes the chance to avail specialized education and training in becoming one of the best sportsmen in the future.
The Philippine High School for Sports Act of 2011 which is authored by Aurora Rep. Edgardo “Sonny” Angara together with other 28 lawmakers has reached the 3rd reading. If this bill is enacted, PHSS will offer scholarship to student-athletes for secondary school education.
The school will be given a seed fund of P50 Million which will come from the earnings of PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) and aided by PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office). That is 10% of all unclaimed and forfeited sweepstakes and lotto prizes.
PHSS will still be under the guidance of the Department of Education, several sport associations and the private sector.
I do hope that all the funds will be aimed directly for the benefit of our prospective young people and not just another way to seek out a means of pilfering our country’s money.
If this bill passes, many young Filipinos will be encouraged to take the road to sportsmanship. Opportunities to train and learn for other sports (where we never excel) will soon be a foreseeable possibility.
