THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Charles Raymond Maxey, who represented PSC Chairman William Ramirez, said the construction of the P22-million Philippine Sports Institute (PSI) regional training center in Zamboanga City will start in February.
Ramirez and PSI National Training Director Marc Edward Velasco were not able to join Maxey to the trip due to other earlier scheduled engagements.
Maxey said the P22 million was sourced out by Zamboanga City Representative Celso Lobregat.
“Nag-report si Congressman Lobregat og na-mention ang pagtukod sa training center to start February (Loregat announced that the training center will be built starting February),” the Dabawenyo commissioner said.
He said the two-storey building will be located inside the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex which is also undergoing rehabilitation.
Maxey said, “Training center sa taas tapos dorm sa ubos. Once constructed, mao ang training center for PSI on weightlifting (The training center will be on the second floor while athletes' dormitory will be on the ground floor. It will serve as the PSI training center for weightlifting).”
He added PSC, through the PSI, will provide the equipment for the training center that was a long-time dream of Rio Olympics 2016 weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, a native of Mampang village in Zamboanga City.
Diaz also failed to make it the trip as her schedule was tight with her classes at College of Saint Benilde and her training for upcoming international tournaments.
She had been vocal about putting up a weightlifting training center in Zamboanga City and with the help of Lobregat, the Zamboanga City Government, PSC and the PSI, her dream for her young kababayans will soon be a reality.
Zamboanga City will have weightlifting as its focus sport, among others, considering the success of Diaz and the popularity of the sport in Asia's Latin City. (PR)