MANILA, Philippines — A sports facility patterned after a historical landmark in Rome that saw the triumphs and bravery of gladiators was inaugurated yesterday in Sorsogon and is expected to become a silent witness to the victories and courage of Filipino athletes.
The four-story Sorsogon Sports Arena, whose design was inspired by the Roman Colosseum, has a seating capacity of 12,000 with the potential to accommodate up to 20,000 for full-house sports activities. It is located in Barangay Balogo, Sorsogon City and is a part of the Sorsogon Sports Complex 4.
President Marcos led the inauguration of the arena, which can also serve as a venue for national and international events, competitions, concerts and summits.
“This (inauguration) is an important step in promoting our countrymen who possess skills in the field of sports. Through this, they will be given the opportunity to further hone their talents. Hopefully, we can add them to the roster of our Olympians and Filipino athletes,” Marcos said in Filipino.
Marcos noted that an athlete from Sorsogon, sprinter Isidro del Prado of Barcelona town, demonstrated his abilities during the 400-meter dash event of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“Just like our Olympians who joined the 2024 Paris Olympics, we aim, through this arena, to further increase the number of our countrymen who will bring honor to our country,” the President said.
The Philippines bagged two gold and two bronze medals during this year’s Olympics, its most successful stint to date.
Marcos also described the arena as a “symbol of progress” that reflects the efforts, persistence and developments of the people from Sorsogon and the Bicol region.
The arena has 139 rooms, including 39 dorm-type rooms with 560 bed capacity. It also has two infirmaries, eight-lane rubberized track and field area and a huge space for other athletic events. The Roman Colosseum, the inspiration behind the arena’s design, was built between the year 70 and 72 and hosted gladiatorial games, according to National Geographic.
Aside from the arena, the Sorsogon Sports Complex also consists of the Department of Education (DepEd) Sorsogon building and the DepEd gymnasium. The construction of the sports complex began in 2018 under the management of Senate President Francis Escudero, who was then the governor of the province.
The inauguration of the Sorsogon Sports Arena coincided with the province’s 50th founding anniversary.