Press Release - Transcript of Senator Pia Cayetano's Media Ambush Interview

On the Sidelines of the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the New Athletes' Dorm in Rizal Memorial Complex
September 12, 2024

Q: As a former athlete, how do you feel that you're giving back to Philippine sports in this way?

Sen. Pia S. Cayetano: Thank you. It feels very good. Like I said, I used to be here every morning of my life during the time that I was training for volleyball. And never ko naman naisip even then, I was only 17, so hindi ko pa talaga naisip yun, na I'll have this opportunity to give back. Talagang at that time, gusto ko lang maglaro, gusto ko lang i-represent yung country. It never occurred to me. So it feels really, really good to be able to have that opportunity to give back. It's a blessing. It's a privilege that I have

Q: Sinabi niyo po kanina na isa lang ito sa mga programa niyo para sa sports?

Sen. Pia S. Cayetano: Oo, actually naumpisahan ko na yan kasi I am the Senior Vice Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, tapos hawak ko yung State Universities and Colleges.

Sa dami ng pangangailangan nila, talagang hindi mo naman lahat maibigay agad-agad. Ang isang pinili kong priority is the dorms.

Kasi at the end of the day, awang-awa talaga ako kasi syempre, kasama sa trabaho natin yung mag-iikot tayo, yung kahit na sabihin mong 2 hours yung layo sa city, kahit nga sabihin mong 1 hour and a half, araw-araw mamamasahe yung bata, 1 and a half hours to 2 hours? Tapos kung hindi man siya mamasahe, may budget man siya, wala namang mahanap na dorm dahil ilan lang naman ang nakapaligid dun ng mga boarding house.

Sabi ko, kailangan na kasama sa policy yung pagtatayo ng dorms. Inuunti-unti natin yan para all over the country, yun yung sasabihin mong equitable access to education. Because if not, wala namang access yung mga nakatira sa probinsya. So dorms to me are very important. Around the country, hindi lang naman pang-athletes, pang lahat ng estudyante.

But lalong nakikinabang ang athlete, kasi aside from yung oras na binibigyan nila sa aral, they have to stay on campus to train, di ba? Sila yung talagang gipit na gipit sa oras, and sila din yung nangangailangan talaga ng dorms.

Q: Reaction to eligibility issue of student-athletes

Sen. Pia S.