The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has fulfilled its goal of creating a regional training hub for national boxers in Mindanao.
In a landmark partnership, the PSC and the Bukidnon provincial government signed a memorandum of agreement on Wednesday, designating the Bukidnon Sports and Cultural Complex in Malaybalay as the official training ground for elite Filipino boxers.
The 13-hectare complex features world-class facilities, including an eight-lane track and field oval, football field, Olympic-size swimming and diving pools, a 15,000-seat stadium, and a 3,000-seat indoor gym for basketball, badminton, and martial arts.
“I am very happy to open this facility because it is the right thing to do for Philippine sports and it all starts in Bukidnon,” said PSC Chairperson Patrick Gregorio.
The Philippine boxing team will be the first to train at the facility, followed by other sports federations such as the Pilipinas Sepak Takraw Association Inc., Karate Pilipinas Sports Federation Inc., and PhilCycling.
Future developments include the construction of tennis courts, a softball/baseball diamond, an open field for outdoor events, an auditorium for cultural performances, and a museum.
Witnessing the signing were Bukidnon Governor Rogelio Neil Roque and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, who championed the initiative.
“Imagine if we put regional centers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, we will attract the best of the best,” Zubiri said.
The project aims to decentralize athlete development and nurture local talent.
“Hindi optimal na ang batang atleta ay aalisin mo sa kanilang tahanan para mag-train at a high level sa isang lugar na hindi nila (It is not an optimal move to pluck out a young athlete from home and implement high-level training away from the) hometown,” said Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines secretary general Marcus Manalo.
Gregorio emphasized the importance of collaboration with local government units to establish regional sports hubs nationwide.
“We promised the President that we would develop regional training centers, provided we receive support from the government and LGUs, with each LGU adopting a specific sport they wish to promote,” he added.
