Public hearing for ‘sports hub’ set for Nov 12

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has invited the head of the city’s Sports Commission and other stakeholders to a public hearing to further discuss the proposed sports facility at South Road Properties.

The hearing for the proposed “One-Stop Sports Hub” proposed by Councilors Mary Ann Delos Santos and Eugenio Gabuya, Jr. is slated for November 12, 2014.

The councilors want to allocate a 10-hectare lot at the SRP to house courts for different sports like basketball and volleyball, as well as facilities for other sports like swimming, track and field, cycling, basketball, baseball, rugby, gymnastics, even dancesport and billiards.

Gabuya said the sports hub would generate extra income for the city government because it would allow the city “to accommodate local and international sports competitions, games, tournaments, and trainings for variety of indoor and outdoor sports.”

Gabuya also said the hub would realize the multi-sports complex that Mayor Michael Rama has envisioned at the SRP.

The proposed sports hub aims to promote sports tourism, strengthen the city’s economy, and foster patriotism and nationalism.

To oversee the facility, the proponents have proposed an oversight committee, which will be composed of the chairpersons of the City Council’s committees on public services, sports, tourism, education, budget, tourism, education, and infrastructure, as well as representatives from the city sports commission.

It is proposed that the chairperson of the Council’s committee on sports head the oversight committee.

One of the functions of the Oversight Committee is to set the guidelines and overall framework in monitoring and the implementation of the proposed ordinance. — (FREEMAN)