Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte on Saturday appealed to the Senate to pass a bill mandating grassroots sports development.
Villafuerte urged senators to expedite the passage of a matching version of a House of Representatives-approved bill advancing grassroots sports development.
He said the senators can help give grassroots sports development the premier attention that it has long deserved by passing this third and final session of the 19th Congress their version of the House-approved House Bill 8495 granting start-up funds or discount vouchers to young athletes who cannot afford paying the membership fees of local sports or recreation clubs.
He said that this bill on the proposed financial aid to young athletes will complement the measure already passed on third and final reading by both the House (HB 8468) and the Senate (Senate Bill 2514) institutionalizing a Philippine National Games or PNG program.
“Passing the financial support bill in the Senate to complement the proposed PNG program already passed by both legislative chambers that similarly aims to promote grassroots sports development for the benefit of our skilled and dedicated young athletes across the country is in line,” he said, “with President Marcos’ search for reforms to make sure that we produce more medalists in future Olympics and other international sports competitions.”
Villafuerte said the proposed enactment into law of both bills jibes, too, with the recent commitment of Speaker Martin Romualdez for the House to ensure sufficient funds in the proposed 2025 national budget for sports, with emphasis on grassroots development.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Solon asks Senate to pass grassroots sports development bill
