Legaspi mayor to build swim pool for city's youth

MANILA, Philippines - Legaspi Mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal has pledged to build a 50-meter swimming pool as she launched a massive sports development program, starting with the sport of swimming, in the city.

Rosal made the pledge during a courtesy call made by swimmers and coaches of the Philippine Swimming League which conducted a learn-to-swim clinic last week among young Bicolanos aged six to 17 years old.

PSL president Susan Papa, who led PSL coaches in conducting the learn-to-swim and intermediate swimming lessons as part of the outreach program of the PSL and the Diliman Preparatory School, under its president former Sen. Nikki Coseteng, lauded the city government’s bold sports program, saying the construction of an Olympic-size swimming pool will assure a continuing swimming program for the youth of the city.

“The venue is great and it is overlooking Mayon and its bay,” said Papa of the proposed swimming center.

Also present during the courtesy call was Avalon Pool builder Manny de Guzman, who also built the DPS swimming center which hosted the Peace and Unity Swim last December.

City administrator Noel Rosal said the pool would be a state-of-the-art facility, one of world class structures the city hopes to build to make Legaspi a sports tourism destination.

“We want Legaspi to be a well known sports tourist spot,” said Mayor Rosal during the courtesy call where she welcomed Ibalong Magayon swimmers who will see action in the Singapore Island Swim Club age group competition in Singapore in August.

The swimmers are Trisha Anne Oliveros, Jan Vincent Llaguno, Patricia Bianca Talavera, Jea Kassandra Talavera, Jan Agustin Talavera, Hannah Imelda Sartorio, Fergino Raneses, Ashley Marie Rances, Mary Audrey Rances and Matthew Thomas Tan.

The young swimmers, the first products of the outreach program of the PSL and the DPS in the Bicol region, will compete for the first time in an international competition. They will vie in various age categories – 8 years and under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-17 – against age groupers from clubs in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore.