The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will team up with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo to establish the largest weightlifting academy in the country.

This partnership to strengthen school-based sports is one of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directives during the last State of the Nation Address.

In a recent meeting with PSC Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara revealed that at least 300 schools nationwide currently offer a specialized sports curriculum, giving student-athletes more time for training and physical development.

Both Angara and Gregorio emphasized that weight training and weightlifting should serve as the backbone of the program, powering the engine of sports-focused education.

“The core requirement for any sport is weightlifting,” said Gregorio. “But you can’t just donate equipment without teaching student-athletes how to use it properly and avoid injuries. Someone has to teach them the fundamentals.”