To train the next generation's Manny Pacquiao
ANGARA EYES CREATION OF PHILIPPINE SPORTS UNIVERSITY

To train promising Filipino athletes while providing them solid academic learning, Senator Edgardo J. Angara is working on the creation of the a national university dedicated entirely to sports. The Philippine Sports University will offer higher learning, promote research, and foster leadership and innovation in RP's sports.

"Filipinos are natural athletes. Skill, endurance and competition are innate to us. We must nurture and develop Filipino athletic talent and create opportunities for our athletes to realize their potential to become the next Manny Pacquiao. If we pay more attention and pour in more resources to sports development, we will excel in many other fields. The Philippines can become a veritable sports power," he said.

Angara said the upcoming South East Asian Games (SEA Games) would be an ideal venue for Filipinos to be recognized for their athleticism. However, he said that while we have gained countless medals in the SEA Games, the country has won very few in the Olympics.

"The Olympics is something we must prepare for. If we want international recognition in sports, we need to give athletes from all over the country the best training in their field. This can be made possible by creating a national sports university that will provide higher learning, and promote the advancement the country's sport not only through education and practical training but also through research," he said.

SB 3481 seeks to create the Philippine Sports University that will be geared towards practical and scientific training methods, research-based methodology and systematic programs for sports education and improving athletic performance to produce sportsleaders and Olympians.

"By integrating the values of sportsmanship and academic excellence we will be able to produce outstanding sport leaders, elite athletes and coaches of world-class caliber," said Angara.