Deal signed for PHL vs. Chinese-Taipei

CEBU, Philippines - Even without much fanfare compared to its first staging, the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group 1 tie between the Philippines and Chinese-Taipei is still an event to look forward to on September 16 to 18 at the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City.

It’s a done deal for the three-day tilt with the signing of the tripartite agreement by the Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA), Lapu-Lapu City government and Plantation Bay Resort and Spa yesterday.

The MOA signing were attended by sportsman John Pages, Plantation Resort and Spa general manager Efren Belarmino, Lapu-Lapu Mayor Paz Radaza, Davis Cup Philippine Administrator Randy Villanueva, councilor Harry Radaza and Cebuana Lhuillier’s Anton Arrieta.

Unlike during the PHL-Japan tie last March wherein dancers were lined up on the way to the competition venue and the athletes were given a grand welcome, the organizers opted this time to a simple way in staging the competition.

In fact, sports commission chairman and councilor Harry Radaza said they are not shelling out a “single centavo” for the event and PHILTA is even giving the city government P70,000 that will be utilized for the personnel’s food and overtime pay. P20,000 will go to the Homecare, a half-way house run by the city government for youngsters who got into drugs and minors involved in illegal vices.

PHILTA decided to give such amount since the city waved its amusement tax obligation.

Despite the changes, spectators are expected to fill up the 1,500-seater bleachers as ticket prices have been lowered from P500 per day during the Philippine-Japan battle to P200 this time and a season ticket of only P500 for three days.

VIP tickets, on the other hand, will be sold at P5,000 for three days.

Tickets will be available starting today at Chris Sports at SM and Ayala Center-Cebu, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa and some of selected Cebuana Lhuillier outlets.

The Cebu International Tennis Centre led by Ken Salimbangon is also helping out in the ticket sales that make the organizers confident they can still draw more fans.

“We’ll go direct selling like going to different clubs since we already have a short time to sell tickets,” said Salimbangon.

Shuttle buses of Plantation Bay Resort and Spa and from the Lapu-Lapu City government will also be utilized to transport spectators from Cebu City to the venue. (FREEMAN)