A SEVEN-STOREY dormitory will soon rise inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex as part of the government’s efforts to care for the Philippine national athletes.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Thursday at the construction site located at the area where the boxing and pencak silat gym once stood and has since been demolished to give way to the new facility.
The building will be in addition to the existing dormitories located at the Rizal Memorial Track and Field and Football Stadium.
Sen. Pia Cayetano, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann, and Department of Public Works and Highways officials were present during the groundbreaking ceremony.
As chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Cayetano said it is her priority to construct dormitories for the general public all over the country.
But being a former student-athlete herself, Cayetano knows the importance of an athletes’ dormitory, saying that “it takes a village to raise an athlete.”
“Lalong nakikinabang ang athlete kasi aside from ‘yung oras na binibigay sa aral, they have to stay on campus to train. Sila ‘yung gipit na gipit sa oras at sila rin ‘yung nangangailangan ng dorm,” said Cayetano.
“I really believe that athletes can be the symbol of perseverance and success for this country. Ito ay proyekto natin with the leadership of Philippine Sports Commission, your coaches, and my colleagues in the Senate who are supportive of this. We hope to continue to invest in sports for this country,” Cayetano said.
The first phase of the project will including the excavation and laying the foundation which will take a year, while the second phase will be the actual construction of the dormitory which will occur within two to three years.
The first floor of the proposed dormitory will serve as the operations hub and office, while the second to fifth floors are where the actual rooms, suites, and lounge areas and will be situated.
The new pencak silat and boxing gyms will now be located in the sixth and seventh floors respectively.
“This dormitory will serve as their second home away from their respective families while chasing to build a legacy for the Philippines,” said Bachmann.
Bachmann said the dormitory is one of the construction projects at the PSC, including the renovation of the gymnastics center, bowling center, and track oval.
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