Senator Pia hails sports academy at NCC
THE National Academy of Sports (NAS) at the New Clark City in Capas has undergone final inspection and will be ready to receive its pioneer batch of studentathletes this coming academic year, according to Senator Pia S. Cayetano.
“The NAS is very close to my heart as a former varsity player and national athlete,” Cayetano said. “I believe in the power of sports to instill discipline and build positive character among our youth, and the ability of athletes to inspire and unite Filipinos by bringing honor to our country.”
Cayetano filed the first version of the proposal in the 15th Congress, then known as the Philippine High School for Sports (PHSS) Act.
“The bill got support from fellow sports advocates, including Fr. Tito Caluag, the late Senator Edgardo Angara, and then Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara, who filed a counterpart bill in the House,” she said.
In the 16th Congress, Cayetano refiled the bill as a member of the House, while Senator Sherwin Gatchalian filed and sponsored its counterpart in the Senate.
“But it was in the 17th Congress when the bill finally passed both chambers and on June 9, 2020, the NAS Act (RA 11470) was signed,” Cayetano said.
She said: “As senior vice-chair of the Senate finance committee in the 18th Congress, I pushed for the budget to establish NAS, including its curriculum development, and scholarship benefits. This ensured that the student-athletes would have the opportunity to pursue academic tracks beyond sports.” also sizzled early with three birdies in the first five holes but yielded strokes on Nos. 9 and 10, which she however recovered with birdies on Nos. 12 and 18, her opening round best 69 netting her solo second.
“My tee and regulation shots were good but I had a hard time on the greens,” said the Cagayan de Oro City find, who hit a pitch-in birdie on No. 2 but bogeyed the ninth on wrong clubbing.