Two bills authored and filed before the House of Representatives by Baguio Rep. Mark Go will benefit the young that are competitive physically and artistically.
House Bills 9836 and 9387 Go filed with the Lower House hope to establish high schools for sports and the arts, two fields Baguio and Cordillera people excel in.
The first bill tackles the athletic type of people and Baguio is just the right place for its establishment as it is a haven for talented athletes as seen in the results of the Batang Pinoy and the Palarong Pambansa where Baguio is considered a power.
In fact, Baguio is the best place to train in as many national athletes choose the city for their high altitude training, among these are boxing, the combat sports and even athletics which has made Baguio their venue for the three months training for the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam on late November.
Baguio was also the venue of the country’s most successful sports program for elite athletes – the Gintong Alay.
The city is also the first United Nations Education, Scientific Culture Organization (UNESCO) creative city in the country particularly for crafts and folk arts and home to two national artists – Ben Cabrera for visual arts and Kidlat Tahimik for films.
It also has its creative month with the Ibagiw Festival held every November and last March, the Montanosa Film Festival was launched for independent film makers.
In filing the bill, Go said: “It is time to harness and further enhance all the benefits that sports can give to the youth. Sports are considered healthy and productive outlets to channel and develop physical strength, mental acumen, social skills and resilience.”
HB 9386, Go said, is an avenue where it can give “the many promising talents access to adequate support and training.”
Go, in filing this bill, Go “considered the success of like institutions across the globe and also took into account how Baguio provides the optimal environment in terms of high altitude training.”
He further said the “sports programs will be complemented with a relevant general academic curriculum and will pave the way for the sustainability of athletic careers. It will also contribute to producing generations of world-class athletes as it will raise sports awareness and interest among the Filipino youth.”
If passed in both chambers of Congress and signed by the president, the Department of Education (DepEd), in close coordination with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) “shall establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of education and training to encourage sports enthusiasm and to advance the athletic talents and skills for the development of the youth nationwide.”
On the other hand, Baguio provides the optimal environment for the establishment of the Baguio City High School for the Arts and with HB 9387, “young Filipinos will be encouraged to explore and cultivate their passion for the arts with their talents being properly honed with the right environment, facilities, and curriculum.”
The congressman is optimistic that establishment of the school is an intervention that “will serve to make arts a viable option for career and livelihood. We can look forward to see how future graduates of the proposed high school will proudly showcase the Filipino culture and talent in the international stage.”
BCHSA shall be administered and supervised by DepEd, in close coordination with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).
Go said that the creation of these specialized high schools are two of his priority bills and assured that he will work towards the approval of these bills.
He added that “aspiring and talented athletes and artists not just in Baguio but in nearby municipalities can eagerly await these landmark developments.”
Baguio City High School offers specialized curriculum in the junior high school for both, while a senior high school curriculum track is also offered for arts.
