Region 9 pledges funds for Palaro

DAPITAN CITY, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines  – Political leaders of Western Mindanao (Region 9) have pledged financial support for the staging of the 2011 Palarong Pambansa, the country’s premier sportsfest, in this Shrine City May 8-14.

Former Zamboanga del Norte (ZaNorte) congressman Romeo Jalosjos, chairman of the Palaro executive committee, said local government executives and members of the House of Representatives from ZaNorte, Dapitan City, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Zamboanga del Sur are among those who assured him of fund assistance.

He said their financial contributions would help shoulder the cost of infrastructure projects currently being undertaken by private contractors in the 10-hectare sports complex of the Dapitan City-based Jose Rizal Memorial State University which will serve as the main venue.

Jalosjos, now a fulltime business executive, said ZaNorte Gov. Rolando Yebes pledged P50 million while Rep. Cesar Jalosjos (3rd district) and Rep. Seth Frederick Jalosjos (lst district) will put in P20 million each from their respective Countryside Development Funds (CDFs).

According to the owner of the internationally known Dakak Park and Beach Resort here, Zamboanga Sibugay Gov. Rommel Jalosjos, Rep. Romeo Jalosjos, Jr. (2nd district) and Rep. Belma Cabilao (lst district) also committed P20 million each.

Jalosjos said ongoing infrastructure projects include the track oval which will be topped with imported rubber surface, the main grandstand, Olympic-size swimming pool, athletes’ bleachers, and eight courts for basketball, lawn tennis, volleyball, and sepak takraw.

He said the contractors assured that the construction project would be completed at least two weeks before the week-long Palaro which will be participated in by over 10,000 athletes, coaches, chaperons and meet officials from 17 regions.