Revilla pushes for PH’s first sports academy

According to a statement on Wednesday, Revilla filed Senate Bill No. 802, which seeks to establish the first Philippine Sports Academy. (File Photo: Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr./Facebook)

MANILA – Senator Bong Revilla is pushing for the establishment of a sports academy in the country in a bid to make sports an integral foundation of the youth’s holistic development.

According to a statement on Wednesday, Revilla filed Senate Bill No. 802, which seeks to establish the first Philippine Sports Academy.

Revilla said the bill aims to help train future athletes in different sports to increase their chances of winning in international competitions.

“At present, many aspiring and promising athletes were not able to pursue a career in sports due to lack of professional training,” he said.

“Despite sports being a staple in our local culture, Filipino athletes succeed through their own hard work or through the help of a promoter,” he added.

Under the bill, the proposed Philippine Sports Academy would be under the Philippine Sports Commission, to intensify and professionalize training for athletes, coaches, trainers, sports managers, referees, umpires, community sports psychologists, sport medicine practitioners, and enthusiasts.

The training program shall be divided into different levels of specialization in physical education through academic degree and non-degree programs.