A NEWLY-REFURBISHED Almendras gym Davao City Recreation Center (DCRC) will host two games of the Asean Basketball League (ABL) featuring the country's very own Alab Pilipinas who will face the Saigon Heat on Sunday, February 5.
Sports Development Division of the City Mayor's Office (SDD-CMO) officer-in-charge Mikey Aportadera bared this during Thursday's Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at the NCCC Mall Davao Food Cove function hall, saying that the Alab Pilipinas will also play Hong Kong Lions in the city on March 19 as part of the 80th Araw ng Dabaw sports festival.
Aportadera said they rehabilitated the 2,600-seater gym to meet the standards of the ABL and Fiba as games will be live-streamed here and abroad.
"All the lights were replaced with LED lights, we had the court repainted and the bleachers as well, fixed the shot clocks, added frion to the airconditioning units and asphalted the DCRC complex ground," Aportadera said. The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the Centrall 911 and the City Engineers Office (CEO) helped them with the rehabilitation works.
He added that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio directed him to bring more events like the ABL to bring in more people to the city. Thus, the mayor is giving her funding support to the rehabilitation works inside and outside the gym.
He also said security plan is in place after a meeting with concerned agencies like the Davao City Police Office, Task Force Davao, and Central 911.
Those who could not enter the gym for the free admission game on Sunday, a giant screen will be placed at the complex for public viewing.
"Hugot ang security na ipatuman para sa maong dula. Duha ka beses kapkapan ang musulod sa gym. Pasensyahan nalang nato pero para man pud na sa atoa ang mga pamaagi na na (Tight security will be implemented for the ABL games. There will be two body searches that will be implemented. Please bear with us since security measures like this will be for everybody's benefit," Aportadera said, urging basketball fans to bring jackets as all airconditioning units will be used for the event.