Senator Christopher “Bong” Go met rising star Kevin Quiambao and wished him luck during the Still Got Game 50 & Up event last Sunday.

An avid sports fan who once served as team manager of Gilas Pilipinas, Go and Quiambao exchanged tokens of encouragement to signify their mutual admiration and friendship.

The youthful lawmaker handed the former De La Salle University star his personal watch while Quiambao gave Go his KQ jersey to show his appreciation for his long-standing push to nurture Filipino talent from the local to the global stage.

Go wished Quiambao well as he is set to fly to the United States to train with the hopes of landing a spot in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Summer League set from 10 to 20 July in Las Vegas.

“Good luck KQ! He will train in the United States for the Summer League. I hope we’ll have a full-blooded Filipino in the NBA,” Go told the 6-foot-4 Quiambao, who plays for the Goyang Sono Skygunners in the Korean Basketball League.

“Do well and make us proud. Let’s support our national athletes.”

Meanwhile, despite being 51 years old, Go remains active on the basketball court, embodying his long-standing message to the youth: “Get into sports, stay away from drugs, to keep us healthy and fit.”

Since assuming the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Sports in 2019, he has played a pivotal role in ushering in a historic era for Philippine athletics.

Under his leadership, the country secured its first-ever Olympic gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games and followed it with an unprecedented twin gold victory at the 2024 Paris Olympics — milestones that marked a turning point in the nation’s sporting history.

At the heart of this long-term vision is the National Academy of Sports, which Go authored and co-sponsored through Republic Act 11470.

Situated in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac, the institution integrates quality secondary education with a specialized sports curriculum, allowing young athletes to train at a high level without sacrificing their academic development.

This model of dual-track education, Go believes, is vital in nurturing both mind and body — and in building a strong foundation for the country’s future sports leaders.

His advocacy also extends to infrastructure and resource allocation. As sponsor of the sports budget in the Senate, Go has championed the rehabilitation of key facilities such as the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila and the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.