Old Rizal bears Glenda’s wrath

MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon Glenda did not spare the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex when it battered the country yesterday, damaging some facilities inside the athletic hub, including a small portion of the newly-built artificial turf.

Glenda’s howling winds uprooted a big tree and brought down a part of the wall near the main gate, with some of the damaged grill bars missing.

The Philippine Sports Commission’s Administration Building also took a hit, with glass panel in the agency’s conference room at the fourth floor shattered by the howler.

The new football turf also sustained some damage. “The wind tore up the edges of the turf at the back of each goal, but it just needs minor repairs according to our personnel,” PSC executive director Guillermo Iroy said.

Elsewhere, the roof of the Rizal badminton hall got pounded but remained intact while the baseball stadium got a damaged Neco roof and the door to the table tennis venue was destroyed. 

Fallen branches and debris were scattered all over the complex and the so-called “rescue team” of the PSC was busy cleaning up all day.