BANGUED, Abra- The province is now trying to catch up with fast developing local governments in terms of its upgraded sports facilities following the expected construction of a P150 million sports complex within the capital town that will boost its chances of hosting local, regional, national and even international sports events.
Gov. Eustaquio P. Bersamin said the provincial government acquired a P150 million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) this year in order to bankroll the put up of the state-or-the-art sports facility in the province.
Aside from the upgrading of the sports facilities to be located within the complex, the governor added there will also be an Olympci-sized swimming pool and a rubberized track oval that will conform with international standards in preparation for the hosting of crow drawing sports events in the future.
“We want to catch up with other provinces in terms of sports development. We all know that Abra is also a producer of international calibre athletes that is why we want to provide them the adequate training and sports facilities that will contribute in molding them to become top calibre athletes that will bring honor and pride to the province in the future,” Bersamin stressed.
Provincial officials led the ground breaking of the multi-million sports complex with the hope that it will be completed within the eight months construction period.
According to him, there will also be a two-storey commercial building that will be built within the strategic portion of the sports complex which will be used for income-generating activities while its second floor will be utilized as part of the athlete’s quarters among other useful purposes.
It was learned that the loan obtained by the provincial government to build the sports complex is payable in ten years with part of the province’s internal revenue allotment (IRA) from the national government as its major collateral for the loan.
Bersamin added additional components of the sports complex that cannot be funded by the loan will be given financial support through the province’s development funds in order to continuously improve its state and be able to convince sports enthusiasts and organizers to hold major local, regional, national and international sports events in the province year round.
With the construction of the state-of-the-art sports complex, the governor is confident that Abra will be producing more international calibre athletes, especially in swimming among other individual and team sports events in the future.
By Dexter A. See
