Pampanga thinks long term, Bacolod spending less

If it boils down to choosing between Bacolod and Pampanga as main hub of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, then it will be between a province that would spend less to host the biennial meet and another offering a more expensive but rational approach.

"Bacolod may spend less to host the SEA Games and Pampanga may spend more. But our bid is not limited to 2005 because we plan to build a national sports complex that we can be very proud of," said Pampanga board representative Yeng Guiao yesterday.

"And it would actually mean less for the government if we build a new sports complex now than build it years after we host the SEA Games. It’s like hosting the SEA Games while building a new home for our national athletes," he said.

Guiao said Pampanga is offering the vast area inside Clark Field as venue of the new sports complex that would eventually replace the 67-year-old Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila – no longer a condusive place to train the national athletes.

Meanwhile, Bacolod City Congressman Monico Puentevella said he had talked with President Arroyo regarding the 2005 SEA Games and " she told me we must not spend so much in hosting the event."

The former PSC commissioner added that it’s about time that the national government give the provinces a chance to host sportsfest at the SEA Games level and that he believes that Bacolod, bidding to host the games with Iloilo, can do it without spending so much.

"Huwag tayo gumastos. May crisis tayo. That’s what the president said. She even said that kung saan may mga nakatayo ng venues ay mas maganda. Ang karamihan kasing venues sa amin at sa Iloilo ay nakatayo na," added Puentevella. — Abac Cordero