Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) should be afforded equal opportunities in the field of sports, Senator Francis Tolentino said.

During the sponsorship of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Senate Bill No. 1086, also known as “The Philippine High School for Sports Act of 2019,” Tolentino stressed how the two sectors are under-appreciated in sports.

“Do we have space for our Lumad, the aetas, those from Kalinga and the PWDs here in our proposed measure  to have  sports high school or will just this be an elitist school?” asked Tolentino

“Yung mga walang sapatos baka naman hindi na makapunta na o baka ma-discriminate sila,” he also said.

He stressed “it is about time to put an end to discrimination and support our countrymen who are IPs and PWDs.”

Tolentino also cited Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1987 and Republic Act 7277 or the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities, underscoring the need in giving the IPs and PWDs equal treatment and a fair chance to thrive in the society.

New Clark City will soon become the home of future champion athletes as senators push for the creation of a Philippine High School for Sports within the rising metropolis.

New Clark City, a project of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), was the site of world-class sports facilities built for the Philippines’ hosting of the 30th South East Asian Games (SEA Games).

Senator Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, said the Philippine High School for Sports will “unleash the potential of young Filipinos who have shown early potential of excelling in sports for a sports-related career.”

During her co-sponsorship speech, Senator Pia Cayetano showed photos of the New Clark City sports facilities, which include an Athletics Stadium, Aquatics Center, and an Athletes’ Village.

“New Clark City is a sustainable city that will house our athletes for the SEA Games. And this is also where this sports school will be built. It is envisioned that the students will have access to vocational, sports, and academic tracks so that each of them can still fulfill their own dreams,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano, a triathlete and former national athlete, has run laps inside the Athletics Stadium and has also tested the Aquatics Center competition pool.

The Athletics Stadium is a 20,000-seater, world-class Olympics stadium with a nine-lane 400-meter track and field oval, and a six-lane warm up track.

The Aquatics Center is a 2,000-seater, world-class arena built with a 10-lane Olympic size swimming pool, a diving pool with inland diving training facility, and a warm-up training pool.

The Athletes’ Village, on the other hand, is made of 525 furnished units that can accommodate up to 1,500 occupants. It is complete with training and fitness facilities./Stacy Ang