TRACK OVAL REHAB Cebu City acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia (left) checks the track oval at the Cebu City Sports Center during his visit on May 14, 2024. In a press conference, Garcia said on Monday (May 27, 2024) he wants a memorable Palarong Pambansa 2024 in Cebu City on July 6-17, 2024, as he pressed contractors to finish the sports center rehabilitation efforts on time. PNA
CEBU CITY – Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia on Monday vowed to make the Palarong Pambansa 2024 memorable for the athletes who will be competing in various sporting events in July.
At a press conference, Garcia said he already pressed the contractors to finish the track oval rehabilitation at the Cebu City Sports Center on time or else they would face the consequences.
“We are facing the importance of meeting the deadline, particularly in preparation for the upcoming Palarong Pambansa,” he said.
Garcia hinted at possible challenges the contractors would face on their licenses should they fail to complete the work on time.
Garcia visited the track oval upon his assumption on May 13 and found several works that needed the attention of the city government.
Among the major works found to have been delayed is the rubberizing of the track oval. The contractor explained the delay and vowed to finish it on time.
He cited the contractor’s explanation which said that the installation of the rubber at the eight-lane 400-meter racetrack oval should be done last so as not to be destroyed by heavy equipment used to repair the other components of the sports center.
Garcia said he is also meeting other people involved in the preparations for the Palaro that will be held from July 6 to 17.
Earlier, Garcia said the Palarong Pambansa will be a springboard to foster cooperation needed to promote sports tourism among the tri-cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu, the local chief executive here said on Tuesday.
In interview, the official said the gathering of the best grade school and secondary student athletes nationwide presents a good opportunity to bolster the tourism industry.
“Among the most important agreement that we have is the sports tourism. When you have 20,000 athletes, school officials, and their families combined will come to Cebu City, can you imagine the potential of tourism that it will bring not only to Cebu City but to the entire province,” Garcia said.
The province boasts of white sand beaches in Lapu-Lapu City, Bantayan Island, and Camotes Island, as well as the adventures in the whale-watching capital of Oslob town.
Garcia said the city is currently in talks with city mayors Junard Chan of Lapu-Lapu and Jonas Cortes of Mandaue, as well as the other local government units’ (LGUs) officials, who want to join the sports tourism program in relation to the Palaro.
Among the events in the Palaro are archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball (5x5 and 3x3), billiards, boxing, chess, dancesports, football, futsal, gymnastics, pencak silat, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, lawn tennis, volleyball, wrestling and wushu. PNA
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