BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan assured sports enthusiasts of the city government’s sustained support to the continuous growth of various sports disciplines to continue the city’s supremacy in sports after local athletes proved their dominance in combative sports through the past several years.
The local chief executive pointed out one of the remaining projects of the local government is the P60 million construction of an indoor sports center which could also serve as a multipurpose and disaster risk reduction and management facility.
However, he admitted the allotted funds for the project is not sufficient that is why the local government is looking for additional sources of funds to complete the needed more than P200 million for the project.
The proposed multi-storey indoor sports center will be erected between the existing swimming pool area and the Baguio City National High School to allow indoor sports events right in the said area and not to scatter the conduct of sports events in sports venues in the different parts of the city.
Domogan added the local government already increased the incentives of local athletes winning medals in local, regional, national and international sports competitions to inspire them to continue striving to be the best and bring honor and pride to the city.
According to him, Baguio City remains weak in team and other individual sports events but it continues to lord it over other local government when it comes to combative sports that is why there is a need to provide adequate training facilities for athletes who have talents in other fields of sports.
Domogan claimed the local government can start implementing the project in the proposed area that could be covered by the P60 million earlier allotted for the construction of the indoor sports center within the Baguio Athletic Bowl and that the remaining funds will be provided through other sources in the years to come.
The city mayor underscored that sports development is one of the major thrusts of the local government as it is one of the possible means by which the young ones could be convinced to stay away from using illegal drugs and for them to shy away from other vices that might compromise their bright future.
He said that numerous young athletes acquired decent education by representing their schools in various sports competitions in the past thus today’s youth can learn to embrace sports as a path to desired career and become successful professionals.
Baguio City athletes showed their dominance during the Philippine National Games where they placed second to Cebu, the Batang Pinoy national championships where they emerged as overall champions and the Palarong Pambansa where they garnered fourth place overall.
By Dexter A. See
Banner photo courtesy of PRSU-BCPO.
