Marikina ready to host 2012 Palaro

MANILA, Philippines - The City of Marikina is leaving no stone unturned in its bid to host the 2012 Palarong Pambansa.

Appearing in yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s U.N. Ave., Mayor Del de Guzman proudly announced how the city, known as the `Shoe Capital of the Philippines’ is ready to host more than 10,000 athletes and officials expected to take part in the long-time, nationwide multi-sports event held every summer.

Expected to serve as the main venue of the event is the Marikina Sports Park, formerly known as the Rodriguez Sports Center, which had been renovated to the tune of P60 million and now considered as one of the premiere sports complexes in the country today.

“It’s heartwarming that a lot of Metro Manila mayors had already sent a lot of support in our bid to host the Palaro,” said De Guzman. “I think the National Capital Region (NCR) hasn’t hosted the Palaro yet, so it’s time for our young athletes to try a different setting.”

Bidding together with Marikina are Sta. Cruz, Laguna, and Lingayen, Pangasinan.

Sports commissioner Jolly Gomez, who also attended the session presented by Smart, Pagcor, Outlast Battery, and Shakey’s, said the final decision as far as hosting is concerned belongs to the Department of Education.

But Gomez, a member of the committee involved in the selection process of the next Palaro host, said they’ve already conducted inspection of all the facilities being offered by the three potential hosts.

“It’s a requirement to have complete facilities s once you try to bid,” said the PSC commissioner.

Dr. Totoy Llabres, administrator of the Marikina Sports Park, said the sports complex is almost 100 percent ready.

“Handa na lahat. Konting finishing touches na lang,” he added.

 Llabres also bared the construction of additional rest rooms in the different schools where participating athletes will be billeted.

“In the past two stagings of the Palaro, we noticed a shortage of school rooms for the athletes. So we started identifying the schools where we constructed additional 1rooms,” he said.

The city mayor disclosed too, how 140 bulbs with a combined power of 210,000 watts had been put up to lit the sports park.

The eight-storey sports park, noted the mayor, likewise has an Olympic standard pool, a track oval, an indoor basketball gym, and other basic sports facilities.