CCSC manager tells city council: Accident ‘not on track oval’

CEBU, Philippines — The manager of the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) reported to the City Council yesterday that the incident where a karatedo athlete allegedly got injured because of a damaged portion of the rubberized track oval actually did not happen at the oval.

The athlete has demanded P880,000 in total damages from contractor SBD Builders.

Yesterday, however, CCSC Manager Jovito Taburada told the City Council in an executive session that the accident actually occurred in Section B of the CCSC, or near the pole vault area and not specifically on the surface of the track oval.

City Councilor Nestor Archival, Sr., pointed out that it should have been cleared that the accident didn't happen on the track oval.

"Kung mao ng kalakiha nga ikiha ta tua sa lugar nga di mao, kinahanglan siguro tan-awon na ninyo, kay ang reklamo man gud because of the track," he said.

The executive session was conducted yesterday through a resolution sponsored by Councilor Francis Esparis, to call on SBD Builders and others to shed light on the incident involving the athlete.

Taburada told the City Council that he and Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia already met with Shaun Doherty, owner of SBD Builders, and inspected the oval last Monday.

He said Doherty committed to finish the repair and rehabilitation of the damage on the track oval in two to three weeks yet because they have to order the materials to be used have to be ordered from China.

He reiterated that instead of closing the whole track oval, the damaged portion would just be cordoned off.

Currently, Taburada said they have cordoned off lanes one, two, and three by placing orange traffic cones

Taburada also clarified that he didn't sign any certificate of completion on work made by SBD Builders on the rubberized track oval.

City Councilor Pastor "Jun" Alcover, said that another group with knowledge of the track oval recommended that the repair shouldn't be done by phase but technically but the whole oval itself.

He added that there were several observations that the material used were substandard and that rehabilitation of the oval was fast-tracked, which resulted in the damages.

Doherty, in a previous interview, said that their material was not substandard and that the damage to the oval was caused by trucks carrying materials for the makeshift stage for the Palarong Pambansa last July and the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo last month.

Taburada also said he already submitted an incident report before the Office of the Acting Mayor.

He also clarified that as facility manager he is not part of the decision-making process in the awarding of the project to a contractor as this is done by the Bids and Awards Committee.

City Department of Engineering and Public Works’s (DEPW), Engr. Roel Capucao, on the other hand, said he served as project engineer in the rehabilitation of the track oval.

He told the City Council that the project has already been completed but with “minor rectification" to be implemented.

Capucao said that his task was primarily on the implementation of the project.

He said that it rained two to three days after the laying of the rubberized track. This, he said, might have affected the curing time for the rubber pellets.

"Wala pa gyud siya naabot sa time nga stable na gyud sya," Capucao said.

Doherty, however, in a previous interview said that the rubberized track is resistant even to extreme weather and that the damage was caused by trucks transporting materials inside the CCSC.

Meanwhile, Acting Vice Mayor and Presiding Officer Councilor Donaldo Hontiveros also said that the track oval has "uneven" portions.

"And even during pag blessing ngadto maka-feel gyud ta nga naay soft spot, naay gahi nga part. At least I would not agree on that part nga standard gyud sya," he said.

Capucao, however, said that this has already been raised with SBD and added that the said portions Hontiveros mentioned would be prioritized. —/RHM (FREEMAN)