The Cebu City government through Mayor Michael Rama (center, back row) has sent another letter to the Palarong Pambansa secretariat stating its intention to host the 2024 Palarong Pambansa. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — True to its intent, the Cebu City government sent another letter to bid to host the 2024 Palarong Pambansa.
Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) Chairman John Pages, who first sent a letter to the Palarong Pambansa secretariat last month, said this today, Feb. 11.
However, this time, the letter sent came from Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who sent it to the Palarong Pambansa secretariat earlier this week.
It was after the Palarong Pambansa secretariat announced on Feb. 8 that they already started accepting the bidding for the hosting of the 2024 Palarong Pambansa from interested LGUs in the Visayas region.
The memo signed by the secretary general of Palarong Pambansa Francis Cesar Bringas said that they were now accepting official communications to the interested LGUs until Feb. 28, 2023.
It so happens that the Cebu City LGU submitted right at the time of the announcement of the start of the bidding process which showed its serious intention to host the country’s annual scholastic multi-sports meet roughly 30 years after its second hosting in 1994.
Historically, Cebu City first hosted Palarong Pambansa in 1954. Forty years later, Cebu City hosted the meet anew, at the then newly constructed Cebu City Sports Center.
Coincidentally, Cebu City is now bidding to host it again, 30 years after its second hosting.
With that in mind, Pages said that he and the CCSC would not leave a single stone unturned in preparing for Palarong Pambansa, starting by renovating the CCSC oval and pool.
At the same time, they will start early in choosing the most excellent sports venues around Cebu City as 24 sports events are featured in Palarong Pambansa.
“We will fully rehabilitate the Cebu City Sports Center. The improvements will include the track oval, the swimming pool and its bathrooms, and other facilities and rooms inside the center. Our Abellana complex is one of the most centrally-located and most-used sports facilities in the country. With the help of the entire sports community, including the private sector, we will do all that we can to uplift and improve our CCSC this 2023,” said Pages.
Sports venues at SRP
Pages also revealed that Rama already gave them directives to utilize the South Road Properties (SRP) as one of the playing venues.
It will be used for outdoor sports such as baseball, archery, and softball.
“Upon the directive of Mayor Mike Rama, we will utilize the SRP for Palaro 2024, particularly for sports that will not require buildings and structures. These may include baseball, softball, and archery. The SRP is also very near the SM Seaside Arena where several indoor sports may be held: gymnastics, chess, arnis, pencak silat and taekwondo,” Pages revealed.
Pages also noted that they already have the support of Director Zaldy Jimenez of the Department of Education in Central Visayas in Cebu City’s bid to host Palarong Pambansa, so as the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) through Commissioner Edward Hayco.
Earlier this month, Cebu City Councilor Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros announced that the Cebu City would be allocating at least P65 million to renovate CCSC as part of their bid to host the meet next year.
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