Press Release
October 6, 2022

Gatchalian: P100-M cut on operations budget to affect sports academy's recruitment

A cut of more than P100 million on the National Academy of Sports' (NAS) operations budget will hamper the recruitment of student-athletes, Senator Win Gatchalian flagged.

Gatchalian pointed to the looming cut during the Senate Committee on Finance's hearing on the proposed 2023 budget of the Department of Education (DepEd) and its attached agencies, including the NAS System, which seeks to develop the athletic skills and talents of students in world class facilities at par with international standards.

"I know that NAS is trying to grow itself and attract more students. But of course, the cut will not enable the academy to attract students, especially from the countryside," Gatchalian said during the hearing.

Under the proposed 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP), P88,113,000 was allocated to the Sports-Integrated Secondary Education Program for the promotion, development, and implementation of quality and enhanced sports-integrated secondary education program. This is P104,471,000 lower than the P192,584,000 allotted under the 2022 General Appropriations Act.

According to NAS Executive Director Professor Josephine Reyes, the cut in the Sports-Integrated Secondary Education Program would affect students' participation in sports competitions, scholarships, meals, nutritional supplements, and standard expenses needed by students, among others.

Gatchalian is a co-author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11470, which created the NAS System. The NAS System is mandated to implement a quality and enhanced secondary education program, integrated with a special curriculum on sports. It will offer full scholarships to natural-born Filipino citizens with considerable potential in sports.

The NAS curriculum seeks to help student-athletes excel in their respective sports or pursue their chosen careers.

The law also seeks the establishment of nationally-funded regional high schools for sports to boost the development of young athletes in other parts of the country.

"Sa pamamagitan ng National Academy of Sports, mabibigyan natin ng kinakailangang suporta ang ating mga atleta. Kaya naman titiyakin natin na makakapaglaan tayo ng sapat na pondo upang mahikayat natin ang mas maraming kabataan na maging mga atleta at mabigyan natin sila ng dekalidad na edukasyon," Gatchalian said.


Gatchalian: Recruitment ng National Sports Academy apektado sa posibleng tapyas sa pondo

Nababahala si Senador Win Gatchalian sa maaaring maging dagok sa recruitment ng National Academy of Sports (NAS) kung tuluyang matapyasan ang pondo nito ng higit sa isang daang milyong (100) piso para sa operations.

Pinuna ni Gatchalian ang mas mababang pondo sa naging pagdinig ng Senate Committee on Finance sa panukalang 2023 budget ng Department of Education (DepEd) at mga attached agencies nito, kabilang ang NAS System na may layong hasain ang talento sa sports at kakayahan ng mga mag-aaral. Nakasaad sa batas na ang mga mag-aaral na ito ay bibigyan ng pagsasanay gamit ang mga world class facilities.

"Alam kong pinagsisikapan ng NAS na hikayatin ang mas marami pang mga mag-aaral. Ngunit kung babawasan natin ang pondo nito, hindi natin mahihikayat ang mas maraming mag-aaral na pumasok dito, lalo na kung sila ay nasa mga probinsya," ani Gatchalian.

Sa ilalim ng panukalang 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP), mahigit walumpu't walong milyong piso (P88,113,000) ang nakalaan para sa Sports-Integrated Secondary Education Program. Mas mababa ito ng mahigit isang daan at apat na milyong piso (P104,471,000) kung ihahambing sa mahigit isang daan at siyamnapung milyong pisong (P192,584,000) nakalaan sa ilalim ng 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Ayon kay NAS Executive Director Professor Josephine Reyes, ang mas mababang pondo sa Sports-Integrated Secondary Education Program ay makakaapekto sa pakikilahok ng mga mag-aaral sa mga sports competitions, mga scholarships, mga pagkain, nutritional supplements, at iba pang standard expenses na kinakailangan ng mga mag-aaral.

Si Gatchalian ang sponsor at isa sa mga may akda ng Republic Act No. 11470 na lumikha sa NAS System. Mandato sa NAS System na magpatupad ng dekalidad at enhanced secondary education program na may integrated special curriculum on sports. Magpapamahagi ang NAS System ng full scholarships sa mga natural-born Filipino citizens na may natatanging potensyal sa sports.

Layon din ng NAS curriculum na tulungan ang mga student-athletes na maging mahusay sa kanilang sports o napiling larangan.

Mandato rin ng batas ang pagpapatayo ng mga regional high schools na popondohan ng pambansang pamahalaan. Ito ay upang mahasa ang kakayahan ng mga batang mag-aaral sa ibang bahagi ng bansa.

"Sa pamamagitan ng National Academy of Sports, mabibigyan natin ng kinakailangang suporta ang ating mga atleta. Kaya naman titiyakin natin na makakapaglaan tayo ng sapat na pondo upang mahikayat natin ang mas maraming kabataan na maging mga atleta at mabigyan natin sila ng dekalidad na edukasyon," ani Gatchalian.

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