Commissioner Edward Hayco confirms: Track oval occurate, lines not

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Sports Center’s track oval is accurate, but the placement of the lane lines is off, which means it does not meet the 400-meter standard distance.

This was confirmed by Philippine Sports Commissioner (PSC) and former chairman of the Cebu City Sports Commission Edward Hayco in an interview with The Freeman yesterday, July 15, 2024. PSC is part of the Palaro Board that Hayco is closely monitoring, including the issue on the track oval.

The concern on the track oval being substandard followed a manual measurement made prior the start of the athletics event last week, wherein the Palaro’s technical consultant Jeanette Obiena found out that the said oval is less than 400-meters.

Obiena in a previous interview with The Freeman said she has asked for some data from the contractor for validation, but to no avail.

PSC and CCSC then considered the idea of a third party surveyor, wherein Mendel Surveying Solutions Co. offered their services for free. The company is owned by Engr. Mendel Lopez, Cebu’s former road running king and his wife, former top swimmer and triathlete Lorhiz Echavez-Lopez.

Initial survey last Monday afternoon by Engr. Mendel Lopez’s team already indicated that Obenia and the rest of the technical team’s initial measurement was correct.

However, Lopez did not stop at that and continued to get more data using the Global Navigation Satellite System Real-Time Kinematic (GNSS RTK) and an electronic total station. This accordingly provides an accurate and reliable measurement.

Engr. Mendel Lopez has opted to let DepEd and CCSC disclose the details of his findings today, July 16, 2024.

The Freeman, however, was able to get some details of the survey from a very reliable source.

The actual survey revealed the Lane 1 radius of 36.57 meters and an actual length of 398.5-meter.

The inner lane or lane 1 in particular has a discrepancy of 1.5-m in length and 0.23 meters in radius making it less than the standard.

The innermost lane has the biggest discrepancy while the other lanes were short by less than a meter.

It was, however, stressed that it is not the dimension of the track oval that is wrong, but the placement of the lane lines, which was done following the replacement of rubber of the track oval for the Palaro.

Obiena earlier said they have given the specs of the standard oval way ahead but communication with the contractor was hard.

Another source of The Freeman said Obiena had been in touch with the contractor since February.

Obiena, like Lopez and even CCSC chairman John Pages, has opted not to discuss the findings until today with DepEd.

Coaches have already been notified that any records made in the track event will be put on hold while the measurements of the track oval are still being validated.

As for Cebu City acting Mayor Raymond Garcia, he said they will have to wait for the final findings, but said that should the complete assessment show that the track oval is substandard, they have already laid out recommendations, as well as alternative works to patch up.

If it comes out that the problem lies in the structure, Garcia said they can have it adjusted but added that it will take more civil works. Should the problem be on the markings, then the whole oval must be rehabilitated anew, Garcia said.

“Ing-ana ka simple nga kanang ma 400 meters gyud siya. So as of now, blangko pa ko. I don’t know unsa, kay wa pa man guy final result ang ilahang independent contractor,” said Garcia.

The CCSC’s track oval is the primary venue of the sports event in the hosting of the Palarong Pambansa 2024. It is also the same oval that was utilized during the 1994 hosting, which concluded without issues on it being substandard or falling short of its standard measurement.

Garcia, however, said that they do not discount the possibility that the size fell short during the rehabilitation.

“We don’t know what was added and what was taken along the way kay 30 years na gud to. But I hope na it was just a matter of katong pag marka nila nga medyo wa na mutakdo ba,” said Garcia.

He added that if the problem lies on the markings alone, the Cebu City government will not be paying the contractor unless they redo the track oval with the proper markings.

Aside from this, Garcia said that among the jobs of the contractor is to make sure that there will not be overflowing of water going to the track oval. He added that the existing canal is now being worked on.

“But I don’t know if it’s the same contractor who is doing the oval,” said Garcia.

Further, Garcia said they formally directed an investigation to get to the bottom of the issue, however said they will have to wait for the results.

“But if there’s really kuwang, then perhaps then we can, murag negative ra kaayo ang investigate, we can look into the matter,” he said.

The overall rehabilitation of the track oval is at P53 million and was awarded to SBD Builders.

When asked when the track oval can be opened to the public, Garcia said he cannot determine the exact date yet as they will have to meet the contractor first.

“Kay he has to look into it. Iyang i refurbish, iyang tan-awon ang mga remedies that he has to do, he has to intervene kay para matarong na gyud ang atong oval, kampante na gyud ta nga mao na gyud na ang saktong pagtrabaho,” said Garcia.

He also said that this would be done once the hosting of the Palaro is over. — (FREEMAN)