TWO of the three tennis courts in Barangay Nazareth are now open for public use, including members of the Nazareth Lawn Tennis Club (NLTC), while the first court is off-limits as it is intended for the construction of the new barangay multi-purpose building.
Barangay Nazareth village chief Maximo Rodriguez III said this after the Barangay Council and the NLTC arrived in a win-win solution after the two parties figured in a squabble over the disputed property.
Rodriguez said the court allowed the barangay to put a temporary demarcation fence between the first and the two other courts.
The Municipal Trial Court in Cities under Presiding Judge Carolyn Casino-Damasing issued the order after the on-site hearing last July 25.
The court sets the schedule for the use of the two courts. The schedule is posted outside the two tennis courts.
“Sa usa ka semana, mga four days ang mapadula sa NLTC while the rest of the days is exclusive sa mga residente sa barangay,” Rodriguez said.
"The scheduled days for the barangay residents only are also free for our Muslim brothers and sisters. They just need to schedule their desired play time at the barangay," he added.
Rodriguez said the construction of the P21-million barangay hall building might start within this month.
He said the first court has a land area of around 600 square meters, while the proposed building has a floor area of around 234 square meters.
"Pasigo ra kaayo ang building sa first court so hopefully within this month masugdan na ang construction. Mag-meet mi ni Mayor Oscar Moreno and we will show him the perspective of the building," Rodriguez said.
On the other hand, the Barangay Council has extended cash assistance of some P3,000 and food packs to over 50 "pulot boys" and coaches of the tennis courts last July 17, after they ended up jobless because of the dispute.
“I think karon nakabalik na sila og trabaho kay gi-open man balik ang tennis court, pero willing ang barangay mohatag assistance kanila kung modangop sila sa barangay,” Rodriguez said.