POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. Wednesday said OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad had approved his request to financially support the construction of a training center for national athletes in Clark Field, Pampanga.

The continental Olympic body will also fund the overseas training of Filipino athletes from five disciplines -- swimming, taekwondo, athletics, volleyball and tennis, Cojuangco added.

“I have the pleasure to inform you that the OCA has approved your proposal to be carried out as per the rules and guidelines laid down in the OlympAsia Project,” said Al-Fahad in an official communication to the POC which Cojuangco revealed during Wednesday’s general assembly meeting.

Cojuangco brought the proposal to Al-Fahad in Kuwait over the weekend along with POC secretary general Steve Hontiveros and deputy secretary general Mark Joseph.

The training center, which will provide housing for the national athletes and retired medalists, has an area of approximately 200 to 300 hectares. It is situated in Sacobia town inside the former US air base.

To jumpstart the ambitious project, the POC will need at least P2 million ($50,000) for the developmental plan of the training facility.

“They (OCA officials) want to see the area and, from there, they will decide how they could help us,” said Cojuangco.

Meanwhile, the three-hour general assembly delved on ways to strengthen the POC’s relationship with the athletes and skirted the issue of amending its constitution.

“Somebody suggested that we revisit the tripartite agreement (1993), give copies to the members and should the POC and the NSAs [national sports associations] come up with a common stand, we will talk to the PSC (Philippine Sports Commission),” said POC chair Robert Aventajado.

Cojuangco said amending the constitution should be taken up by a special general assembly.

It was also announced during the GA that the POC has formally recognized the re-election of National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president and chair Prospero Pichay and Tagaytay City Mayor secretary general Abraham Tolentino.

The POC granted the recognition upon reviewing the reports submitted by POC deputy secretary general Mark Joseph, who personally supervised the elections.

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