SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go is pushing to regionalize the National Academy of Sports (NAS) to bring specialized sports education closer to underserved youth, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Go stressed that decentralizing access to sports-focused education is crucial for young athletes who lack the resources to relocate to Metro Manila or Luzon.

“Under Republic Act No. 11470, the NAS Board shall provide for policies for the organization of future nationally funded high schools for sports,” Go said. “We hope to regionalize. ‘Yun po ang isa sa mga pangarap ko — na maging regionalized po itong NAS.”

He shared that discussions with relevant agencies are already underway, paving the way for this dream to become a concrete policy.

As Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, Go committed to advancing the initiative legislatively, and called for continued collaboration among government stakeholders.

“Magtulungan lang tayo — as a legislator, as your chairman sa Committees on Sports and on Youth,” he said.

Go’s proposal aligns with his long-standing agenda to promote grassroots-oriented sports development. Since leading the committee in 2019, he has helped oversee a historic period for Philippine sports.

Under his watch, the Philippines won its first-ever Olympic gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games, followed by double-gold triumphs at the 2024 Paris Olympics — landmark achievements in the nation’s sporting history.