Mikee eyes Clark as PSTC site
Credit to Author: Tempo Online| Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2019 08:40:03 +0000
By Nick Giongco
The 2019 Southeast Asian Games main hub of Clark is the ideal place to put up the Philippine Sports Training Center (PSTC), whose creation was signed into law recently, a leading lawmaker said yesterday.
1-Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero said the PSTC law (RA 11214), was originally crafted with Clark, a former major US air base, in mind.
“In essence, we had Clark as site,” said Romero, who was the brainchild of the landmark law that aims to replace the ageing Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila as the home of the Filipino athlete.
Earlier, two other congressmen with solid sports backgrounds, shared the belief that the athletes should be housed in a mountainous area so they can improve on their stamina.
Manila congressman Manny Lopez insists that Mt. Makiling in Laguna is a perfect site while Tagaytay congressman and Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Bambol Tolentino swears by his hometown.
While Romero agrees with the two, he feels that some sports like cycling, who is headed by Tolentino and boxing, which used to be Lopez’s domain, and those relying on endurance and staying power can be brought to higher elevation.
“The majority can be housed in Clark while cycling and boxing and others that want high altitude training can go elsewhere,” said Romero, adding that Clark already has a 20,000-capacity track oval and 2,000-seater aquatics center.
Still, Romero is leaving the fate of the PSTC in the hands of a special committee that the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is going to form to determine where the PSTC will be built.
PSC chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez said all the stakeholders will be involved in the selection.
But it looks like Clark has the inside track.