WITH Benguet committing their support in co-hosting the Palarong Pambansa next year, Mayor Mauricio Domogan directed the City Sports and Recreation Division under the City Administrator’s Office to prepare the required communications to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
The chief executive announced he already received the commitment from Benguet Governor Crescencio Pacalso and La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda allowing the use of their sports facilities as venues for the different sports activities of the Palarong Pambansa once the city will be chosen by the screening committee.
“We express our gratitude to Governor Pacalso and Mayor Salda for their timely commitment in allowing their sports facilities as part of the city’s submission in its bid for the Palaro hosting as added playing venues because we really need the help of Benguet and La Trinidad in this worthy endeavour,” Domogan stressed.
Earlier, the Baguio Sports Development Council chaired by Domogan decided to seek the help of Benguet and La Trinidad the use of their sports facilities and additional playing venues before the local government will submit its bid to make sure there will be sufficient sports venues for the numerous sports activities to be held during the national sports competition.
Domogan also ordered the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) to fast track the conduct of public bidding for the utilization of the P60 million earlier marked in the 2016 supplemental budget for a multi-storey sports building near the Olympic-sized swimming pool within the Baguio Athletic Bowl which could be used for indoor sports events once the city will be selected as next year’s host of the Palarong Pambansa.
Domogan added the local government attempted to bid for the hosting of the 1996 prestigious national sports event and was not replicated because of a bad experience which he encountered during the bidding process.
During the early stagings of the Palarong Pambansa, the host of the national sports event is a consensus of all regional directors of the Department of Education while the current practice now is that various Undersecretaries of the education department take turns in heading the committee in charge of administering the conduct of the sports event.
One of the distinct advantages of the local government in being chosen as the next host of the Palarong Pambansa is its cool climate which sports officials and athletes prefer compared to being exposed to the scorching heat of the sun coupled with humid air when the sports events are conducted in the lowlands.
Vigan City in Ilocos Sur reportedly submitted its letter of intention to also host the 2018 hosting of the Palarong Pambansa while Davao City signified its intention to be the host of the 2019 national sports competition after the staging of the premier national sports competition in Luzon next year. (PR)