Bill on Philippine high school for sports reaches Senate floor

A measure providing for a national high school with emphasis on the development of students as athletes has reached the floor of the Senate.

Senator Sherwin "Win" Gatchalian on Tuesday sponsored Senate Bill No. 1086 seeking the establishment of a Philippine High School for Sports (PHSS).

The measure us authored by Gatchalian, Senators Juan Edgardo Angara, Bong Go and Pia Cayetano.

"This measure... seeks to train and develop future generations of world champion Philippine athletes," Gatchalian said in his sponsorship speech.

"Ultimately, the end in view of this legislation is to unleash the potential of young Filipinos who have shown early potential of excelling in sports for a sports-related career," he added.

According to Gatchalian, athletes of the country deserve "the same type of financial, infrastructural, and policy support from the government" that other countries give to their athletes.

Gatchalian compared the tens of billions of pesos given to athletes abroad to the P207.7 million budget to be allocated to the Philippine Sports Commission in 2020.

PHSS would be a world-class educational and athletics facility to be built by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority at the New Clark City in Tarlac, Gatchalian said.

The school will be under the supervision of the Department of Education.

According to the measure, an Executive Council composed of the PHSS director, the assistant director, the heads of departments, and other ranking faulty members will screen and select students for admission.

The council will also select students who will receive scholarships, stipends, and other allowances, and develop the school curriculum and rules of discipline of the institution.

"All in all, Mr. President, I firmly believe that the establishment of the Philippine High School for Sports is the crucial first step toward achieving Philippine excellence in international athletics and providing our athletes with the support that they deserve as our representatives on the international stage," Gatchalian said.

He added that the passage of the bill was one of the legislative priorities outlined by President Rodrigo Duterte in his 2019 State of the Nation Address.