SEN. Bong Go has renewed his call to strengthen sports programs and provide young Filipinos with safe and accessible venues where they can develop their talents.
Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, issued the statement as he attended the blessing of the gymnasium equipment in Lupon, Davao Oriental, on Saturday.
The newly installed equipment includes bleachers, a basketball ring, and a shot clock — improvements intended to enhance the municipality’s gymnasium and provide athletes and residents with a better venue for sports activities, tournaments and community events.
Go said investments in community sports facilities are important because many Filipino athletes begin their journeys not in large stadiums, but in barangay courts, municipal gymnasiums, schools and grassroots competitions.
“Here’s what I always tell our young people: Get into sports, stay away from drugs, so we can stay healthy and fit,” he said.
Go joined local officials led by Mayor Santos Alonzo Jr. and Vice Mayor Chrence Go, together with Councilor Bebot Angsingco, Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative Almar Alilian, and Board Member Don Go Montojo.
The senator has consistently advocated using sports as a means of keeping young people healthy, disciplined and away from illegal drugs and other harmful vices.
He said that adequate facilities must go hand in hand with organized competitions, competent coaching, and sustained support so promising athletes can be identified and given opportunities to progress.
As part of his broader sports agenda, Go authored and co-sponsored Republic Act 11470, which established the National Academy of Sports in New Clark City.
The institution allows qualified student-athletes to continue their education while undergoing specialized athletic training.
He also filed Senate Bill 171, which seeks to expand the National Academy of Sports through regional campuses, with particular emphasis on making specialized sports education more accessible to athletes in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Go likewise filed Senate Bill 413 seeking to institutionalize the Philippine National Games as a nationwide grassroots sports competition, and Senate Bill 678 proposing the National Tertiary Games to provide collegiate athletes with another national platform to compete and showcase their abilities.
The senator has repeatedly stressed that grassroots sports development requires sustained cooperation among the national government, local government units, schools, coaches, sports organizations and communities.
Go said facilities such as the upgraded gymnasium in Lupon can help provide young athletes with spaces where they can train, compete and discover their potential while encouraging more residents to embrace an active lifestyle.
He thanked the local government and community leaders for supporting programs that promote sports development and provide constructive activities for the youth.
