HOTELS in Lapu-Lapu City are fully-booked for the Cobra Ironman 70.3 2016 Asia-Pacific Championship triathlon on Sunday, said an officer of the Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Office.
The Lapu-Lapu City Government has prepared several activities to entertain the triathletes before the race on Sunday.
Lapu-Lapu Tourism Officer Hembler Mendoza said the city has 4,879 rooms in 79 hotels, which are enough to accommodate the participants of the international event.
All the superior and deluxe rooms were reserved, except for some executive or presidential rooms, said Mendoza.
“Ang ilang kita for 15 days, kitaon lang na nila for three nights (The hotels will make in three nights what they usually earn in 15 days),” Mendoza told reporters.
Foreign triathletes are expected to arrive starting today.
The City Tourism Office is also expecting room reservations in the hotels in Mandaue City and Cebu City.
Mendoza said they have not received any complaint that there was overpricing in hotels in the city.
Lapu-Lapu Mayor Paz Radaza said a vehicle with speakers has been going around the city to make advisories to the residents.
The traffic office will also tow vehicles that will block the Ironman route.
The City Government will host the welcome party and carbo-loading dinner for the participants of the Ironman at the Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa on Friday night.
Mark Masa, organizer of the welcome party and competition activities in Lapu-Lapu City, said a fireworks display will follow the welcome party.
Masa said the City will have an inter-barangay dance contest, live bands and fireworks display contest or Pyromania also on Friday night.
The competitions on decorated sail boats and cheerdance, which will be participated in by the students, will be on Sunday.
Talisay preparation
The Talisay City Government is urging motorists from Southern Cebu to be patient as it will close the Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR) for this Sunday’s race.
Retired police general Hiram Benatiro, City of Talisay Traffic Operation Development Authority (CT-TODA) executive director, said they will close the CSCR from 6 a.m. to 12 noon on Sunday as some parts of the South Road Properties (SRP) will be used for the yearly triathlon.
The Talisay City side of the SRP will serve as a turning point for triathletes in the 90-km. bike leg of the event this Sunday.
In a press conference organized by the Talisay City Public Information Office yesterday, Benatiro said he will deploy 163 traffic enforcers on Sunday, majority of them will be deployed at the SRP.
Aside from traffic enforcers, Benatiro will also deploy 100 criminology students from the University of the Visayas that will serve as traffic volunteers.
Benatiro said that to prevent accidents, they will strictly enforce the no-crossing policy at the SRP once the race starts.
With the closure of the SRP on Sunday, Benatiro said motorists from Southern Cebu are advised to use the National Highway temporarily.
For tricycles plying from Barangay Cansojong, Poblacion, Pooc, Biasong and Mohon, they will be required to exit towards the National Highway using the Fidel Bas St. in Barangay Mohon, which exits to Barangay Linao.
Guards
Jeanneth Villagonzalo, executive director of the Talisay City Sports Commission, said they will deploy 300 Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) cadets of Talisay City College (TCC) to help with crowd control.
Villagonzalo said they will also deploy 136 tanods from seven barangays to help secure the bike route.
Aside from cadets, Villagonzalo said that more than 200 students from the city’s public high schools will also be present at the SRP to cheer the participants during the bike leg.
Villagonzalo said event organizers will provide food allowances for the local police.
The City Government will provide food allowances to traffic enforcers, tanods and cheerers, she added.
Supt. Aileen Recla, Talisay City Police chief, said she will deploy 78 police officers along the route.
Recla said that in every 40 meters, there should be one police officer with students and barangay tanods guarding the crowd.
She also asked the Police Regional Office 7 to deploy at least two K9 units that will check on the viewers.
Recla said they will remind viewers during the race that they are not allowed to cross the street once the bike leg starts.
Saturation drive
A day before the race, Recla and her personnel will conduct saturation drives in areas near the race route to prevent criminal elements from taking advantage of the event.
Talisay City Vice Mayor Alan Bucao expressed concern on the improper disposal of water bottles from participants that may cause accidents during the race.
He said they should deploy trash collectors to prevent accidents.
Bucao said that since 2012, the Cobra Ironman 70.3 race has been beneficial to Talisay City in terms of promoting tourism and sports development. Jyda Yeecynth Ang, USJR Intern