Bohol to build world-class 

Sports center - Gov. Yap 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol August 27 (PIA)--Bohol is a first class province. But how could we not have a sports center worthy of international standards? 

The question, which came from Governor Arthur Yap, was also the same one sports coordinators have been asking for, since administrations ago. 

Yap called some select sports coordinators in biking and cycling, tennis, basketball, running, dragon boat, in the provincial government’s initial attempt to unify through yet another of Boholanos’ pre-occupations: sports, according to Reyna Deloso, who sent out the invitation to a core group of sorts, Tuesday, August 27. 

During the meeting, Gov Yap revealed to sports coordinators his plan to build for Bohol a world class stadium. 

"I'm going to find a way, I’ll borrow, as long as I can build a world class sports venue for Bohol," he said. 

The governor also told the sports coaches, trainors and enthusiasts that while this plan is ongoing, he wants tournaments and leagues going throughout the year. 

I want sports to unify the Boholanos, and it should be a sports program throughout the year, he added even as he instructed sports coordinators to come up with a programmed sports activity calendar, during the meeting at the new Capitol. 

It would take time however before the Boholanos could finally see the governor’s statement come to reality. 

The closest Bohol has of a sports center is the Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex where there is a rubberized track that is fast deteriorating. 

During the meeting, the governor showed an artist’s perspective of a sports center that was accordingly designed for Manila City. 

The design was for Quirino Avenue and was commissioned by Manila City Mayor Joseph Estrada, but the new mayor Isko Moreno reportedly refused to have it implemented. 

As to how long would Bohol take to have one world class sports center, nobody knows yet, but the governor has assured he will have it, his way. 

On the plan, the sports coordinators have said that the CPG Sports Complex in fact is degrading fast. And it has no more room for expansion to accommodate more event venues. 

Gov Yap said he wanted to expand the CPG Sports Complex, but the nearby schools keep expanding apparently without permission. 

The rubberized track, although relatively newly rehabilitated, is now again showing signs of deterioration, sports coordinators frequenting the oval said. 

The rubberized oval is a costly project, and it should come with the proper use, track coach Jojo Orcullo shared, during the meeting. 

A cursory look at the track and the way people on it are using it, one could easily find the danger and the abuse. 

“It is dangerous when you have training athletes and sprinters on the track, posting their best run times, and in their lane are walkers, holding hands, carelessly blocking the lane. And there are kids, unattended by adults who are also on the fast lane. You see, these sprinters sometimes have cleat shoes. One could just imagine what would happen if a fast runner hits a child,” narrates another coach who also noticed how people use the track. 

There is apparently no rules set in place and people just simply take to the tracks and do their own thing, with complete disregard to other users. 

A chance inspection at the oval revealed even joggers are using the inner lanes, and they refuse to give way even if there are fast runners trying to squeeze through. 

And, some joggers simply stop and take warm up stretches and hunches inside the rubberized track, this can cause other runners to trip and fall. 

On this, groups have asked the Provincial Government, the owner of the property to implement track use regulations to impose order and discipline while ensuring the proper track use. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

Governor Arthur Yap fingers on his phone as he tries to project on the screen his vision of a world class sports stadium in Bohol, one which was designed for manila but he is willing to bring to Bohol, sourcing out the funds to het it built. With the governor are training coaches, sports enthusiasts and Provincial Administrator and lawyer Katherin Pioquinto. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)