Modern sports center to rise in Davao

DAVAO CITY � A modern gymnasium touted to be one of the biggest sport centers in the region will soon rise at the University of Southeastern Philippines (Usep) campus in Davao City.

The structure is currently on the bidding stage and is located on the portion of the Usep campus formerly occupied by the old Davao Trade School.

House Speaker Prospero Nograles, who initiated the project, originally allotted 60 million pesos sourced from his congressional fund. He later added 12-million pesos to be used by for the university�s big school activities and also as a revenue-generating facility.

Nograles says he wants the facility to be functional by March 2010, in time for Usep’s graduation ceremonies.

According to the Speaker, the planned air-conditioned gymnasium can seat a maximum of 7,000 people and will be accessible to the city streets adjoining the Usep campus.

The gymnasium will be bigger than the current major sports facilities in the city, such as the Ramon Magsaysay College gym. It will also be larger than the modern Panabo Sports center. The planned facility is suited to host PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) games and big concerts.

According to Nograles, the revenues from these events will all go to Usep, which will be used to fund more scholars and faculty development programs.

The Speaker says that it is a high time that Davao have this kind of facility, citing that the mothballed Artica dome, loans for which the City is still paying for, will no longer see the light of the day.

Nograles said the funds for the gymnasium is part of the Speaker’s privilege, which he decided to pour into Davao City and is now being used for more development projects. (PIA XI)

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