The Philippines has always been left out in the major sports events in the region in recent years primarily because it lacks the sports facilities that meet high global standards. Several decades ago, the country was the undisputed center of sports in the region. Not today. We have been overtaken by smaller ASEAN nations like Singapore and Vietnam in terms of sports facilities.
The lack of standard sports facilities has affected the performance of national athletes in in the international competitions. That is why we have to send our athletes to train overseas so that they will be able to train in a proper environment. It comes in a big cost, however, and there is not even a big assurance that doing so would improve their performance or meet goals in actual play.
However, looking at the current inventory of sports facilities in the country would give us an idea that the government has invested so much in building sports venues around the country but many of these sports venues ended up either becoming white elephants because of the lack of sports programs to sustain its viability and the lack of local funding to maintain these facilities. For example, an Olympic size swimming pool would cost a big amount of budget to maintain for a local government unit. Unless a system that promotes self-sufficiency of these sports facilities is put in place, the likelihood of deterioration and eventual permanent damage is inevitable.
Comes now boxing legend Sen. Manny Pacquiao who has set to motion a resolution in the Senate to conduct an inquiry into these sports facilities. The popular eight-division world champion filed Senate Resolution No. 688 directing the Senate Committee on Sports to conduct in aid of legislation an inquiry on the current sad state of the Rizal Sports Complex and other sports facilities in the country. Pacquiao seeks to address the lack of sustainable facilities, which, he said, is the reason that hinders the Filipino athletes in their quest for honor and fame for the country and themselves in the global arena, including the Olympics.
Pacquiao believes the only way Filipino athletes can compete globally is to train under global standard facilities aside from high-caliber coaches.
Pacquiao’s resolution must also include the investigation into alleged overpriced contracts in the construction of sports complexes around the country. It can be recalled that in Davao City, then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte himself turned down the Artica Dome project and refused to go on with the project because of its alleged anomalous transaction. Another unfinished project is the nearby Davao del Sur sports complex.
Sen. Manny could be in for the shock of his life finding out how much money the government has lost in building these sports facilities that end up as white elephants and have enriched many.
