BAGUIO CITY – The local government needs at least P250 million to put up a multi-storey indoor sports building within the Baguio Athletic Bowl to provide sports enthusiasts with an additional playing venue and to boost the city’s chances to host prestigious regional, national and international sports competitions in the future.
Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan said the personnel of the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO), who were tasked to prepare the detailed estimates and plans for the project which will be built near the city’s Olympic-sized swimming pool, projected the total cost to be at least P250 million to complete the facilities included in the indoor sports structure.
Earlier, the local government allocated the initial amount of P60 million from its previous annual budget for the put up of the multi-storey indoor sports structure, to provide additional sports facilities within the city’s sports complex and more training facilities for local athletes.
“We will try to source out additional funds to complete the funding requirement so that we can proceed with the initial implementation of the project so that there will be continuity once the initial funds allocated for the purpose will be exhausted. We have to continuously improve the city’s sports facilities to further improve the chances of the city in hosting future regional, national and international sports competitions.”
The city’s Baguio Athletic Bowl had been a beneficiary of multi-million funds from the national government for its facelift, particularly its rubberized track oval, to improve its overall status as one of the city’s premier sports facilities.
Domogan explained the local government will try to make the necessary representations with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for possible assistance in the sustained uplifting of the sports facility to have continuity in the implementation of the construction of the multi-storey indoor sports structure, after the local government shall have exhausted the initial funds earmarked for the project.
According to him, if the city will not be able to acquire funding support for the project the local government will try to allocate whatever available funds every year until the structure’s completion.
He expressed optimism that the local government will be able to convince concerned national government agencies to extend whatever funding assistance and allocate needed funds for the immediate completion of the project so it could be used by the city for future hosting of regional, national and international sports competitions. It will make the city one of the preferred hosts of sports activities considering its conducive weather condition, among others.
He ordered the CBAO to finalize project plans so the funds earmarked for it will be completed the soonest, to allow the infusion of additional funds to complete the project.
By Dexter A. See
