Press Release
May 13, 2015

Sen.Pia hails partnership to develop world-class
sports complex in UP Diliman

"Finally, a modern football field for the Iskolar ng Bayan."

Thus said Senator Pia S. Cayetano, as she hailed efforts to build a world-class football field and track oval inside the University of the Philippines (UP) campus in Diliman, Quezon City.

Through the initiative of Cayetano, the UP leadership and Futbol Pilipinas Azkals Foundation came together last May 8 to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to develop the UP Diliman football field into a modern sports facility.

The chairperson of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, Cayetano pushed for the approval by Congress of the government funding to rehabilitate the UP football field, track oval and sports facilities.

"After years of training on a field that has seen better days, the UP athletes will finally have a world-class football field and track oval," said Cayetano, who played for the state university's volleyball team and national women's volleyball squad in her college years.

"I am proud to see this project I have been working on finally move forward through the funding approved by Congess and the partnership between UP and [Team Manager] Dan Palami of the Philippine Azkals."

"We hope that this will become a reality in time for the hosting of the UAAP games by UP this coming school year," added the senator.

At the MOA signing held in UP Diliman, UP President Alfredo Pascual acknowledged how Cayetano, as a member of the UP Board of Regents, passionately pushed for sports development alongside academics. "We appreciate [Sen. Pia's] active interest and full support in the development of sports in the university, which includes mobilizing funds for sports facilities," Pascual said.

Under the agreement, the Futbol Pilipinas Azkals Foundation will prepare and undertake the design and execution of civil works and related site preparation works for the UP Diliman football field as part of the university's sports complex zone.

Once completed, the facility will also serve as the home of the Philippine Azkals, a move that is expected to further improve the country's competitiveness in the sport which has grown popular among Filipinos in recent years.

Cayetano has been lobbying for more funds to support the state university's athletic programs. "Having the premiere institution on sports science and physical education, the UP College of Human Kinetics, it is only fitting that UP also upgrades its sports facilities."

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