A SPORTS complex in Iba, Zambales could become an alternate venue to train national athletes.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco said this after he and officials of the POC and heads of several national sports associations paid a visit to the Zambales Sports Complex.
The Governor of Zambales, Amor Deles, is offering the use of the facilities to the POC and the NSAs, which are getting ready to prepare national athletes for the 2017 and 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
Cojuangco said the POC is looking for other places to bring athletes for training, now that the government is planning to sell the ageing Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
“Dito magte-train ang mga atleta ng mga NSAs na interesado. Nagsisiguro lang tayo dahil mukhang mawawala na ang Rizal Memorial,” said Cojuangco.
He added that even with the RMSC gone, athletes can still train in Baguio and at the Philsports Complex in Pasig.
Talks on the sale of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex were restarted last Thursday.
Officials of the Philippine Sports Commission, the City of Manila and Malacanang sat down to discuss the legalities of the possible sale.
PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said they will have to take it slow as legal questions are being sorted out and clarified first.
Lawyer Jose Antonio Flaminiano represented the City of Manila during the talks with Ramirez, while Kim Uy was the legal counsel sent by Presidential Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
There are concerns on the ownership of the complex, which was originally built 82 years ago in 1934.