SCHOOLS will be utilized as billeting quarters on a per-region basis for the 2024 Palarong Pambansa, an official said Tuesday, February 13, 2024.
“One region will stay in one school. Wala nato sila gibungkag kay aron kaila na sila daan. Of course, when they prepare, they are really together…ilang coaches tanan and even their regional director sa DepEd (Department of Education) will normally stay with them,” John Pages, chairman of the Cebu City Sports Commission, said during Cebu City Hall’s teleradyo online program “Pagtuki, Pagsusi, Pagsuta.”
Pages said the school venues are ready, and they just need refinement.
Some of the schools that will house athletes include Don Sergio Osmeña, Don Vicente Rama, Pardo, Guadalupe, Labangon, Lahug, Mabolo, Punta Princesa, Zapatera, Talamban, and Tisa.
“These are the bigger schools and athletes will be billeted there,” Pages said.
He said the athletes will travel to different playing venues depending on the sports they will be playing, adding that the City Government will provide transportation to ferry them.
He said they are still working on transportation matters, stressing that there are no final details yet.
But Pages said that some of the participating provinces, like Negros, might also bring their own transportation.
He said the National Capital Region (NCR) has requested to stay in the farthest located quarter, which is Talamban, to prevent athletes from roaming around the city.
He added that there will also be competition for the cleanest billeting quarters.
Venues
Pages said the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) will serve as the main venue where athletics will be held, including swimming competition.
Regarding the rehabilitation, Pages said they are still on the schedule due to the upcoming regional meet in May, which will be headed by the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVRAA).
“It has to be finished, we have no choice,” Pages said.
He said they have already asphalted the oval track, and sometime in March, they will be laying the rubber and later the lines.
As for the Olympic-sized swimming pool, he said it is also almost done, adding that the previous kiddie pool beside the main pool was transformed into a 25-meter-warm-up pool.
He said both the oval track and swimming pool will be open to the public in April.
He added that the oval track was funded by the City Government while the pool and comfort rooms were funded by private entities, which they are planning to announce during the unveiling.
He said since 1994, the facility was only rehabilitated once, which is in 2011.
He also said the six-hectare land in South Road Properties (SRP) where batting sports, softball, and baseball will be held has already been flattened. The bleachers used during Sinulog were also utilized for the spectators.
The closing ceremony will be held at SRP, according to Pages.
He said they are also in the process of finalizing arrangements with Mandaue City, as the Mandaue Sports Complex might be utilized, possibly for Arnis, while Sacred Heart School Ateneo de Cebu might be used for gymnastics and sepak takraw.
In February 3, 2024, SunStar Cebu reported that the playing venues have been divided into three hubs: the downtown hub, SRP hub, and northern hub.
Pages said the average distance from the CCSC to these other playing venues is 3.7 kilometers.
The downtown hub includes the University of San Carlos, Cebu Coliseum, CCSC, Cebu Eastern College, University of the Visayas and Cebu Institute of Technology-University.
The SRP hub includes SM Seaside City Cebu and the Filinvest property where the Sinulog Festival was held last month.
Pages did not go into details regarding the northern hub.
CVRAA
According to Pages, CVRAA is an annual event.
In May, Cebu City will host the regional meet, which is the CVRAA, just as big as Palaro, with as many 10,000 to 12,000 athletes, coming all from Central Visayas.
Pages said Palarong Pambansa is like an Olympics of Philippine Sports that will welcome around 12,000 athletes, including coaches, but excluding family members who would also come to support.
He said the city will be expecting a large number of visitors during the duration of the event.
He added that for this year’s sports event, their slogan is “beyond sports,” inviting the participants to come two weeks before the Palaro for the opportunity to explore Cebu. (AML)