PSC boosts Philippine Taekwondo

The Philippine Sports Commission this time has extended its helping hand to the Philippine Taekwondo Association in the construction of a brand new training center inside the historic Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

PSC chairman Patrtick Gregorio led the groundbreaking ceremony for the National Taekwondo Center which will rise on the site of the old PSC Bowling Center and could house as many as 100 taekwondo jins on a daily basis.

“We enable, we excite, and we make it happen. Finally,” said Gregrorio during the ceremony that was graced by PTA president Rafael Alunan III, secretary-general Rocky Samson, PSC commissioners Bong Coo, Fritz Gaston and Walter Torres, and members of the national pool.

Grand Master Hong Sung-Chong, considered as the father of Philippine taekwondo, also attended the affair.

“With this new taekwondo center, we can host more international tournaments and give exposure to our national athletes. The shift will surely open up great opportunities for our sports and for our athletes,” said Gregorio.

Alunan, who served as DILG secretary and Tourism secretary in the 1990s, thanked the PSC for the support and all the positive changes under Gregorio’s term as chairman of the government sports agency.

“The PTA will continue to further strengthen our grassroots program, produce more champion athletes and cultivate future leaders,” said Alunan.

The new taekwondo facility will replace the old bowling center which also helped produce greats champions like Paeng Nepomuceno, Arianne Cerdena and Coo.

“After 20 years, our dream to have a new training center will soon be a reality. Thank you to the Philippine Sports Commission for spearheading the birth of the National Taekwondo Center, which aligns with our vision for Philippine taekwondo,” Alunan said.

“This center once produced world champions in bowling. We will faithfully continue the tradition of producing world champions,” he added.

The taekwondo facility will sit on a 1,131 sqm land and will boast four international championship rings with a seating capacity of 850 for spectators.

Gregorio said building a new home for Philippine taekwondo has been long overdue. He added that the PSC is not funding the entire project, which could be finished before the year ends, because the PTA is also shouldering a big portion of the cost.

Since Gregorio took over the PSC in July last year, major renovations and upgrades have taken place to benefit the national athletes, starting off with the strength and conditioning center at the Teachers’ Camp in Baguio and at Philsports Complex, along with a sports museum with help coming from First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and the major facelift of the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center and the RMSC in general.