BAGUIO CITY — The Department of Public Works and Highways and the city officials assured that the Baguio Athletic Bowl will be ready for the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) meet which will be hosted by the city this February.
“We are on track,” said Engr. Alexander Castaneda of the DPWH Baguio City District Engineering Office assuring that the on-going placement of rubberized track at the athletic oval is on schedule and would be finished and be ready for the CARAA meet opening on February 6.
Castaneda said Spurway Enterprises which is tasked to place the rubberized track at the Baguio Athletic Oval started work last January 6, and expected to be done by end of the month.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan said the project contractor Romeo Aquino of the R.U. Aquino Development and Construction Corporation in a coordination meeting for the CARAA meet assured that the oval would be ready for the regional event.
According to Castaneda, the renovation of the Baguio Athletic Bowl is in consonance with the international standards of an ideal athletic oval. He said that prior to the construction of the oval; they sought help from the Philippine Sports Commission on the necessary measurements and facilities of international standards.
The DPWH has been closely working with the PSC and PSC reps have been conducting regular supervision and inspection of the on-going projects including placement of the different sports facilities and even the grass at the oval.
The three- phase project has a total budgetary allocation of P115 million.
The first phase involves the modernization of the main bleachers at the east end of the compound. The second phase is for the extension of the main bleachers as well as the concreting of the oval track. The third covers the installation of the rubberized track.
The third phase was delayed for almost a month because of the unexpected rains in November.
During recent site inspection and walk through of Cong. Nicasio Aliping Jr. and the project contractor, Aliping hailed the progress and development of the athletic oval compared to its state a year ago.
“This is a project long in the waiting because the Athletic Bowl complex has not received any kind of development work for the last 30 years,” Aliping said.
“With the rubberized track, and lawn field together with the already existing Olympic size swimming pool, the city is now ready to host national events like the Palaro Games,” the lawmaker added.
Aliping said that he is working for the allocation of another P50 million to fully complete the Athletic Bowl complex. The next phase would involve the construction of a modern west end bleacher stands and lighting of the oval track./JDP/ RMC- PIA CAR
