Senator Bong Go on Tuesday welcomed the upcoming construction of a ₱360-million dormitory at the National Academy of Sports (NAS) in New Clark City, citing it as a major step toward strengthening grassroots sports development.

The five-storey facility, a joint project of the Department of Budget and Management and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, will house up to 400 student-athletes and include gender-separated quad-sharing rooms, a dining hall, recreational areas, laundry rooms, and administrative offices.

Go, chairperson of the Senate Committees on Sports and Youth, is a co-author of Republic Act No. 11470, which established the NAS in 2020. The law mandates the provision of world-class training and residential facilities for student-athletes.

“Hindi lang sa kompetisyon ang suporta dapat natin,” Go said, stressing the importance of providing safe and supportive living conditions for student-athletes, especially those from far-flung areas.

The NAS, which currently has 270 enrollees, offers a dual-track system combining secondary education with specialized sports training. New facilities, including a gymnasium and gymnastics court, are also under construction.

Go said he hopes the new dormitory will encourage more youth participation in sports, particularly in underrepresented regions. He reiterated his call to regionalize the NAS to give more opportunities to young athletes from Visayas and Mindanao.

Since assuming the Senate sports committee chairmanship in 2019, Go has advocated for sports development and was instrumental in securing funding for key training venues like the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and Philsports Arena.

“Ang sports ay napakahalaga sa kinabukasan ng ating kabataan,” Go said. “Let’s get into sports, stay away from drugs, and keep healthy and fit.”