TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Around ₱150 million was earmarked in this year’s annual national budget for the proposed rehabilitation and upgrading of the Kalinga sports complex to allow the province to host prestigious local, regional, national or even international sports competitions in the future.
Gov. James Edduba said that the funds have been accessed by the provincial government and the Office of Rep. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang from House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to allow the provincial government to upgrade the present sports facility and make it compliant with standards in preparation for the province’s possible hosting of prestigious sports events in the future.
He claimed that he and Kalinga Congressional Representative Mangaoang personally requested the funds from the House Speaker to improve the province’s sports facilities and catch up with other provinces in the Cordillera that have already improved their respective sports facilities to serve as training ground for their athletes and in preparation for their future hostings of various sports competitions.
The governor pointed out that the ₱150 million will just be the initial funding for the project as the provincial government and the office of incoming Rep. Carolyn Agyao will close work for the allocation of more funds from concerned government agencies to complete the rehabilitation and upgrading of the province’s major sports facility.
The provincial sports complex was the venue of the Largest Gong Ensemble and the Largest Banga Dance presentations that paved the way for Kalinga to be included in the Guinness Book of World Records when it exceeded earlier established records in the said categories way back in 2023.
Edduba assured the utmost support of the provincial government to the sustained implementation of various sports programs that will allow the province to produce top-caliber athletes in different sports disciplines that will continue to bring honor and pride to Kalinga.
According to him, part of the work in the sports complex is the improvement of the track oval to comply with current standards, expansion of the bleachers to accommodate more spectators, and other important sports facilities to allow sports enthusiasts to maximize the complex for their trainings and other sports-related activities in preparation for their future competitions.
He admitted that the province is not yet ready to bid for the hosting of local, regional or national sports competitions because of the present condition of its sports complex that is why the provincial government continues to work hand in hand with concerned government agencies for the allocation of funds that will ensure the upgrading and rehabilitation of the province’s sports facility to boost the chances of Kalinga to host prestigious sports activities in the coming years. By Dexter A. See
