P90 milyong track oval overhaul pushed

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Sports Center Management Board is now seeking the inclusion of a P70-million to P90-million overhaul of the city’s disputed rubberized track oval in the 2027 budget, along with a review of its previous contractor.

The urgency comes as the oval, resurfaced only three years ago, has already deteriorated into a state of disrepair.

Cebu City Sports Center Management Board Chairman Dr. Alvin Roxas confirmed that they have already raised the matter with Mayor Nestor Archival and asked the City Legal Office to review the previous contractor’s contract.

Once the jewel of Cebu sports, built for the 1994 Palarong Pambansa, the oval, as visibly seen during the officials’ most recent inspection accompanied by the media, has a torn and battered rubber surface riddled with holes, unsafe drainage, and lanes scarred by cracks and bulges.

Roxas, who was installed this year as chairman of the CCSCMB, admitted in a press conference at the CCSC that complaints have been mounting.

“We are already receiving reports from athletes who get injured. We cannot allow this to continue. This is Cebu’s sports home, and we must protect it,” he said.

He added that the board cannot settle for superficial fixes.

“Our hands are tied until City Legal clears the issues, but we cannot allow another band-aid solution. If we do not act now, we risk losing the credibility of this facility as a venue for serious competition,” he added.

Former councilor and now overseer of the Local School Board, Joy Augustus Young, the man behind the modernization of the CCSC for the 1994 Palaro, also lamented the oval’s current state.

“This oval was built to host the Palaro, the proudest moment for Cebu sports. We built it to last, not to collapse after one event,” Young said.

He warned against settling for cheaper fixes, stressing that materials have become more expensive but durability must be prioritized.

“I would prefer that you change the whole asphalt, not just take out the top one. If you settle for cheap fixes, you will waste money again. We must restore this to international standards, or Cebu will lose its sports home,” said Young.

He added that seeing the oval in ruins just three years after resurfacing is “a betrayal of the vision we had when we modernized this facility.”

CCSC Manager Ildebrando Velasquez confirmed that compliance documents have been submitted to City Legal, noting that the mayor instructed him to ensure all issues are settled before any rehabilitation can proceed.

He emphasized that the board has not been idle.

“We are doing our part. We have submitted everything required, and we are waiting for clearance. But the oval cannot wait forever, the athletes are suffering,” Velasquez said.

Another board member, Francis Ramirez of DepEd-Cebu City, added that they have begun inspecting track projects in Naga, Carcar, and Minglanilla, with plans to visit Luzon and Mindanao to evaluate contractor performance.

The Commission on Audit has previously flagged procurement lapses, with defects appearing within months and the oval found to be short by nearly two meters, nullifying 11 athletic records during the Palarong Pambansa 2024, along with issues involving advance payments and overpayment.

Despite its battered state, the oval remains open to athletes, joggers, and students.

Roxas acknowledged reports of sprains and injuries but said closure was not feasible given the facility’s daily use.

Warning signs have been posted, but officials continue to appeal for urgent government support.

“We do not want to hear about accidents in the track… this is Cebu’s sports home,” Roxas emphasized.