PSC rushing athletes dorms

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Sports Commission is fast-tracking the construction of new dormitories for the national athletes who would be displaced when their old quarters at the south and north towers of the Rizal Memorial Track and Field Oval are converted into classrooms for the planned sports academy.

PSC chair Harry Angping made this announcement after conducting an ocular inspection of the new dorms at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex yesterday.

“These new dormitories are where the athletes would be transferred from the south and north towers because we’re turning it into classrooms for our sports academy,” said Angping.

The academy, which will be put up with the help of La Salle, is aimed at training the current athletes and other prospective students to become future trainers, instructors, referees, umpires and even sports administrators.

The PSC is also planning to put up graduate studies and programs in various fields in the academy.

The government sports agency is also mulling to turn the Rizal track and field oval into a state-of-the-art football stadium.

There is also an ongoing construction of a sports mall on the Adriatico side of the complex.

Angping, meanwhile, made mention of nearly P1 million fund the PSC generated from rentals of the venues inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and the Philsports Arena in Pasig City last month.

The PSC chief said he was particularly impressed with the earnings from the rental of the track oval at the Philsports facility by daily joggers who pay P35 each. – Joey Villar