Apayao gets more funding for sports complex

ANOTHER P5 million pesos coming from the office of Representative Eleanor Begtang and P500,000 from the Department of Education is set to be released for the completion of the Apayao Sports Complex.

The complex is set to host the 2013 edition of the annual Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association set on the month of February which is expected to draw close to 3,000 student athletes coming from the five other provinces and one city.

Apayao Governor Elias Bulut Jr., in an earlier interview, said due to the meager resources, the province decided to undertake the building of the sports complex by administration to be able to maximize their resources and be able to complete the sports facilities in time for the regional athletic meet.

The complex is located in Payanan, San Gregorio in Luna town where bulk of the sports competitions will be held as P25 million has been earlier earmarked for the construction of the multi-venue sports complex.

It will have an athletic oval, gymnasium, cottages, a multipurpose clubhouse, and an Olympic-sized swimming pool that was given a funding of P6 million and hopes to be completed by September in time for the regular inspections of officials from the Department of Education on the progress done by the provincial government relative to their hosting of the sports competition.

Aside from putting up the province's sports complex, Bulut explained most of the 400-hectare property is now being converted into an agro-forestry area and the incorporation of a mini-zoo to help serve as a potential ecotourism destination and an added attraction for consideration of foreign and local visitors.

The timely completion of the sports complex will help boost the chances of Apayao to be continuously hosting various sports competitions that will spur economic growth not only for the capital town but also for the whole province considering its domino impact to development in rural communities.

Aside from the sports complex, the town of Luna is reportedly in the process of putting up a hostel in order to accommodate the huge volume of people who will be flocking to the province for the CARAA meet.

Bulut is confident that Apayao athletes will be able to excel in the various sports events to be lined up for the CARAA and improve on their performance this year considering that the province will now be fielding more competitive athletes in order to bring honor and pride to the host local government. (Roderick Osis)