PSC plans to establish regional sports training center in Lanao del Norte

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte (MindaNews / 30 July 2026) — The Philippine Sports Commission has expressed plans to establish a regional training center to be based at the Mindanao Civic Center here.

The track and football field of the Mindanao Civic Center. MindaNews file photo by BOBBY TIMONERA

PSC chairman John Patrick C. Gregorio, in an interview with MindaNews on Tuesday during the two-day Sports and Youth Summit held at Kalimudan Hall of the provincial capitol, said that his agency intends to develop the 70-hectare “world class sports facility” of the MCC to become a regional training center.

He said that his job at PSC will be easier “with the very impressive existing sports facilities” at MCC while other provinces and cities are still developing theirs. He added that the MCC was so far “the biggest I’ve ever seen in terms of area and number of facilities.”

Gregorio said that sports could help bring about peace in the area as the kids become active in their chosen sport.

He said that a regional training center needs to develop a training program and identify the appropriate sporting events in the area, whether it be football, swimming, sepak takraw,  tennis, basketball, volleyball, track and field, arnis, and other sports discipline.

Gregorio said if pushed through, having a regional training center could help promote the province as a “sports tourism destination,” and eventually the establishment of a sports university that could help “produce champions, from grassroots to gold.”

Rep. Imelda “Angging” Quibranza-Dimaporo (1st District) expressed excitement over Gregorio’s plans for the MCC, noting that the MCC was the venue of the Palarong Pambansa — the country’s biggest sporting event — in 2003.

He added that the sports complex already has certification from two sporting bodies — from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) for its football field, and from World Athletics for its track.

She said that the province has a lot of athletes but lacked training. “We have the facilities but underutilized,” Dimaporo said.

Lyndon Calica, provincial administrator, said they will visit the sports facilities in Clark City and look into the design of dormitories to accommodate athletes and coaches. (Richel V. Umel / MindaNews)