PhilSports Complex

The complex was actually the sports field of a defunct school named Saint Martin's Integrated School (Elementary and High School). The school was transferred by First Lady Imelda Marcos during the 1970s and the school was reorganized as the University of Life, a vocational school.

In 1985, the Philippine Basketball Association became main tenants of the PhilSports Arena after nine years at the Araneta Coliseum. The venue attracted standing-room only crowds during their stay. The PBA stayed for seven years until they moved to the newly built Cuneta Astrodome in 1993, citing the venue's lack of maintenance.

After the Marcos family was removed from the country during the 1986 People Power Revolution, the University of Life was closed. However, the sports complex was transferred to the Philippine Sports Commission in preparation for the 1991 Southeast Asian Games. Several names were applied at the complex. These were The ULTRA, PSC-National Academy of Sports (PSC-NAS) and PSC Sports Complex. Due to confusion to the public especially in concerts, the commission decided to adopt a permanent name: PhilSports.

The sports complex reached its maximum audience space when the Asian pop group F4 and Taiwanese local star Barbie Xu staged a concert in the facility in September 2003. It was one of the venues of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games which was held from November 27, 2005 to December 5, 2005. It hosted the games' badminton event.

On February 4, 2006, the PhilSports Complex became the site of a deadly stampede that killed 74 people and injured hundreds. Wowowee, the now-defunct early afternoon game show of television network ABS-CBN, was scheduled to hold its first anniversary show at the complex. Attracted by the large prizes given out during the show, crowds of people, mostly from the lower classes of society, waited for days just outside the stadium. As the opening of the gates neared a few hours before the show, the crowd surged forward crushing those at the front of the queue underfoot.

The cause of the stampede is still being determined pending investigation.

The PhilSports Arena in 2012.

There was a plan by the Philippine Sports Commission to put up of a beach volleyball court inside the track and field oval of the PhilSports Football and Athletics Stadium, a proposal opposed by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA).[1] PATAFA President, and Philippine Super Liga Chairman Philip Ella Juico said that the construction of the sand court may hamper the athletics national team's preparations.[2]

The complex underwent a major renovation, prior to its hosting of some events of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.[3]

In 2020, the Philippine Sports Commission plans to relaunch its Philippine Sports Library, which will be hosted inside the complex's Building A. The planned library will have at least 3,000 books.[4]