PHILIPPINE Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William "Butch" Ramirez on Tuesday, April 9, bared that the Davao City-University of the Philippines (UP) sports complex swimming pool is 85 percent complete and will be finished by April 20, one week before the 2019 Palarong Pambansa opens on April 27.

Ramirez, along with Department of Education (Deped) Secretary Leonor Briones and Davao City government officials ,inspected the ongoing construction of the Olympic-size swimming pool Monday afternoon.

"Sa among duha ni Secretary Briones, walay laing option na gamitong swimming pool sa Palaro, ang Davao City UP Sports Complex ra. Mabutangan na og tubig, touchpad og ubang mga gadgets, mahuman ang bleachers, mao nalang ni ang 15 percent nga kulang (For us with Secretary Briones, there is no other option for the swimming pool but the Davao City-UP Sports. It just needs water, touchpad and gadgets then the bleachers will be constructed , these are the 15 percent left to complete the facility)," Ramirez said in a press conference Tuesday at the PSC Mindanao office located within the Davao Association of Catholic Schools (Dacs) compound, Champaca Road, Juna Subdivision in Matina, Davao City.

He said Briones was hesitant to leave the city as she wanted to really see the swimming pool finished. Ramirez, however, assured her that he will stay instead and urged her to return to Manila.

The PSC donated over P100 million for the second phase of the construction of the Davao City-UP Sports Complex.

The materials committed by PSC, according to Ramirez, are ready and once the pool already has the water, touchpad and gadgets needed, the construction of the roofless bleachers will be hastened.

He added that there are different contractors for the swimming pool and bleachers but the two are closely coordinating with each other to expedite the construction and complete the facilities before the Palaro.

"Ginapaspasan naman trabaho sila 7:30 a.m. then break 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. then resume until 6 p.m. kay naa may suga ngadto (Construction works start at 7:30 a.m. then break is at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. then resume by 2 p.m until 6 p.m. since there are already lights there)," he said, adding that two PSC engineers are also helping out the contractors since there are Fina requirements that the swimming pool needs to meet.

He also said that PSC wil send orthopedic doctors, physiologists and physio therapists during the city's Palaro hosting.

"This is the kind of partnership na wala sa una. Dili pwede nga host, PSC or Deped lang. Inter-agency partnership man gud dapat ni (This is the kind of partnership that was never done before. This needs to be an inter-agency partnership)," he said.