Palaro venues ‘ready before July’

Cebu City has assured venues for the Palarong Pambansa 2024 will ready months before the games on July 9 to 16.

“We are on track for a mid-April nga completion,” said Cebu City Sports Commission chairman John Pages, while also adding that everything is in the hands of the contractor, which has a very detailed timeline which they are banking on.

Pages said that with the biggest sporting event for in-school athletes in the country already going nearer, they are closely monitoring everything.

“Nag-monitor monitor mi regularly gyud… In fact, yesterday naay technical and coordination meeting. So we’re on schedule with the mid-April (target) because the CVIRAA nato, we would want to be able to use the sports center already, as the regional meet nato is also a good venue to prepare for the Palaro gyud,” he said.

“So, kinahanglan mahuman gyud siya (renovation of the Cebu City Sports Center) before the CVIRAA,” said Pages.

The schedule for the CVIRAA (Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association), however, is still being finalized at this time, but it would not be later than the first week of May.

Palaro game venues include the CCSC, where the CVIRAA Regional Meet would also be held. CVIRAA also serves as the regional selection for Central Visayas’ representatives to the Palaro, which is one of the country’s biggest sporting event of the country.

The Freeman learned from DepEd Assistant Schools’ Division Superintendent Adolf Aguilar the other night that the date for Palaro’s return to Cebu City had finally been decided.

He said that July 6 to 7 is the expected arrival of delegates and team officials, while July 7 and 8 will be for the solidarity meeting of the delegations and refresher course for technical officials.

July 9 is the scheduled grand opening at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) while the closing ceremony is scheduled on July 16 at the South Road Properties.

July 10 will be for special events that also serve as a rest day for athletes before the competition proper takes place on July 11 to 15 in different areas.

CCSC Manager Jovito Taborada told The Freeman that right now, renovation of the facility is now at 70 percent completion.

“Right now, naa na tas 70 percent... Nag-asphalting na man sila (sa oval). Human ani, to follow na ang rubber(ized track),” he said.

Taborada said that based on the contractors’ projection, the more than P50-million oval can already be done by March, which gives enough time for curing before it could be used.

For the Olympic-sized swimming pool, finishing touches are already being done, he said.

Pages also said that the new 25-meter warm up pool is already done and the water had been tested already.

“Ang filtration system na lang and filtration sa Olympic-size pool nato… ang pagbutang sa mga pads….Gwapo kayo, international level ang atong pads, starting blocks ba. But madungan na lang gyud ni siya by early April,” he said.

He said the City government is not purchasing its own digital timing system for swimming, as it is too expensive, but they are looking at borrowing from one company.

Aside from that, offices and other areas in the CCSC are also undergoing some facelift.

Taborada, though, said that the multi-purpose building, more commonly identified as the badminton court, would undergo facelift after the Palaro, as the area will be utilized by the Palaro secretariat and as holding area for athletes.

He said that as for the other venues, there are no major renovations needed as they using mostly university gyms that are well-maintained.

Softball and baseball, on the other hand, will be at the Filinvest property at the SRP, where bleachers that were used during the Sinulog would be utilized for the players and spectators and the food park.

“We will be able to put up eight diamonds there, upat-upat for baseball and softball,” Pages said.

The said diamonds will already be tested next month via the Cong. Edu Cup and before the CVIRAA.

Only two sporting events will be held outside Cebu City, gymnastics and sepak takraw, which will be both held at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu campus in Mandaue City.

Pages said that although it is a bit far from CCSC, the athletes competing in both sports will still be housed together with the rest of their delegation. A traffic plan, he said, would just be worked on.

He said that for the billeting quarters, host schools are also being readied as well.

The host schools are the Abellana National School, for the officiating officials; Cebu City Central School for host Central Visayas; CCDA Gothong Elementary School and CCDA Gothong High School (Region XI); Don Sergio Osmena MNHS (Region V); Don Vicente Rama Memorial ES (Region I); Don Vicente Rama Memorial High School (Region VIII);

Pardo Elementary and High School (Region IVB); Guadalupe Elementary School (Region VI); Labangon Elementary School (Region IX); Lahug ES and NHS (CARAGA); Mabolo Elementary School (CAR); Mabolo NHS and Bagong Lipunan ES (Region III);

Punta Princesa ES and NHS (Region X); Ramon Duterte Memorial (Region IV-A); Zapatera ES/NHS (BARMM); San Nicolas ES (Region II); Talamban ES (NCR); Tisa ES/NHS (Region XII).

Pages said the selection of billeting quarters was done via draw by lots. —