A contingent from NAS led by Executive Director Prof. Josephine Joy Reyes, Department of Education (DepEd) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) led the said on-site visit to inspect the facilities.

Looking back, NAS was established pursuant to the newly signed law of Republic Act (RA) 11470. Under the act, NAS is tasked to implement a secondary education program that is integrated with a special curriculum on sports to help young Filipino athletes develop further their athletic skills.

“It is significant for the NAS to be situated in New Clark City where the 30th SEA Games in 2019 was held. This is a testament to the government’s capacity to have a continuous and sustainable program in optimizing the usage of the facilities that we have built for the hosting of the Games,” Executive Director Prof. Josephine Joy Reyes said.

She also averred that the developmental roadmap for New Clark City, especially with the upcoming campuses (UP, PUP, TUP, and Philippine Science highschool) of various educational institutions, will bestow a conducive learning atmosphere.

While the Based Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and CEO Vince Dizon affirmed that the sports facilities in New Clark City will be “the government’s lasting legacy in the development of future generations of athletes.”

“We are excited to see our young students train into becoming world champions. We hope the facilities in New Clark City will inspire and motivate them to excel further both in sports and their academics,” Dizon propounded.

New Clark City is the site of the 20,000-seater Athletic Stadium and also the first world-class sports complex developed by the government since the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex was built in the 1930s.

Moreover, it features a track certified as Class 1 by the IAAF, and an Aquatics Center certified by FINA.

Reyes pinpointed that NAS batts for an educational system to implement not only a quality and enhanced secondary education program but also giving importance on special curriculum on sports.

“NAS will provide world-class facilities and services, including sports sciences, at par with international standards to develop the athletic skills and talents of student-athletes and at the same time provide high-quality academic instruction,” Reyes shared.

“Most importantly, this nurtures the dreams of our young aspiring athletes that one day they will represent the Philippines to the extent of their abilities,” she concluded.