A new gymnastics’ facility similar to the one inaugurated Saturday in Intramuros, Manila is now in the planning stages.
Construction work of the place that will be provided by the local government unit of Calamba, Laguna is expected to happen by August.
International Gymnastics Federation president Morinari Watanabe, who is on a weeklong visit in the country, is currently discussing the plans with the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines, the Embassy of Japan and officials of Calamba.
“This will happen in August and the Japanese Embassy and Philippine gymnastics will support to make this happen next year,” said Watanabe, who was around during the inauguration of the Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation Gymnastics training center in Victoria St., Intramuros on Saturday.
The facility in Laguna will cater to the grassroots and development program of the GAP and its quest to discover talents at the junior level.
“We are forming another partnership with Japan, and that’s why we are having another gym in Calamba,” said GAP president Cynthia Carrion.
The office of Calamba City mayor Timmy Chipeco will sign a deal with Japanese ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa on Thursday to begin their plans for a gymnastics’ center in Calamba.
Activities concerning the development of the new facility will take place once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, according to Carrion.
Two-time world artistics’ champion Carlos Yulo and his coach Munehiro Kugimiya were present during the unveiling rites done on the new gym, housed inside a 2,300-meter property just across the Pamantasan ng Lungsod na Maynila campus.
International Olympic Committee representative Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski was also present with Philippine Sports Commission board member Celia Kiram, Philippine Olympic Committee deputy secretary general Carl Sambrano and MVPSF executive director Jude Turcuato.
Former Philippine president and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also graced the occasion with Japanese embassy official, Deputy chief of mission, Yasushi Yamamoto.
The entire floor area, which will house the training facilities for national athletes, measures around 1,200 meters.
Gymnastics officials have been scouting around for a new venue to train their national athletes over the last two years.
That’s because the venue that they used to have at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito Cruz, Manila is not available as it has been used as a quarantine facility for people infected with COVID-19.