Clark facilities 98 percent ready
UP, Ateneo bets gain Actifit Open semis
UP’s Patricia Velez and Nica Alanis forged a “Battle of Katipunan” with Melanie Dizon and unranked Jana Pages of Ateneo as the neighborhood rivals barged into the semifinals of the PPS-PEPP Actifit National Students Open at the KCDA Actifit Sports Center in Valenzuela City.
The top seeded Velez routed National U’s Annie Tumanda, 6-1, 6-1, repulsed Danna Abad, also of NU, 7-6(2), 3-6, 10-8, before subduing La Salle’s Arianne Nillasca, 6-4, 6-3, to clinch the first semis slot in women’s singles of the inaugural all-students tournament presented by MCF Global and backed by Kap. Eli Demafelis.
The No. 2 Dizon ripped St. Paul Pasig’s Jada Custodio, 6-1, 6-0, blasted teammate Bettina Bautista, 6-2, 6-3, then eased out UST’s Ma. Patricia Lim, 6-3, 6-2, to seal a semis duel with the fifthranked Alanis in the event sanctioned the Unified Tennis Philippines, made up of Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg.
Alanis survived Ateneo’s Nicole Amistad, 2-6, 6-3, 10-8, then toppled No. 4 Mikaela Vicencio of La Salle, 6-3, 7-5, to stay in the hunt.
The facilities for the 30th Southeast Asian Games in December in New Clark City is 98 percent finished, presidential adviser on flagship projects and programs Vince Dizon said.
Dizon, guest of The Chiefs aired over OneNews channel on Cignal TV, said the remaining two percent of the construction of the sports facilities will involve finishing touches and landscaping.
“It is doing very well and very much so on time. In fact, in terms of completion rate we are actually 98 percent ready for the facilities that are built in New Clark City. These are the facilities that would be used for athletics, the main stadium inspired by the Caldera of Mount Pinatubo using lava materials,” Dizon said.
Dizon said that aside from the main stadium, the facilities also include an aquatic center where swimming, diving and water polo are to be played.
“They are practically complete. Apart from that, we also built an athletes village with a 125-room dormitory,” Dizon said, adding Filipino athletes are now staying at the Athletes Village and are using the facilities for training.
“We want to give our athletes the opportunity to use the facilities in advance. They are already there now. Our athletics team, our triathlon team are there already.”
Dizon said the Philippine diving team is scheduled to move in by next week.
“Our swimming team will be using it for the national swim open. And we are happy to report also that both these facilities have already received international certification for the athletics. It’s the International Athletic Association Federation and the FINA, the international certifying body for the aquatic,” Dizon said.
Dizon said the government is also building more facilities depending on the priorities of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) such as football and other indoor sports. He said Senators Pia Cayetano and Sonny Angara have filed bills in the Senate for the establishment of a National Sports Academy (NSA) where Filipino athletes can nourish their talents in sports.
Meanwhile, NLEX’s 11th NLEXSCTEX “Tara Na Sa Norte” tourism drive is expected to attract participants and guests to the tourist destinations and sporting venues in New Clark City and Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
Luigi Bautista, NLEX president and general manager, said: “As a company with longstanding commitment to boost tourism in the regions, we are excited to showcase the beauty of the north as well as our seamless road network.”