CITY READY TO CONSTRUCT PHP 110-M TENNIS COURT

September 17, 2022 Metro BLISTT

The city may soon start construction of the much delayed PhP110 million tennis court after the awards of
said project next Tuesday to the winning bidder. City administrator Bonifacio Dela Pena on Monday said that awards should have been last September 13, a special nonworking holiday, but was moved to another week. “We are ready to award it,” said Dela Pena after the Monday flag ceremony at the Baguio city hall grounds adding that construction will start anytime soon.

“They now have to leave, we will be digging soon for the start of construction,” said dela Pena of the Baguio Tennis Club, whose members were supposed to be out of the four-court facility which has been their home for almost 40 years as early as August. The group was supposed to transfer to the Camp John
Hay tennis court but has been staying awaiting the start of construction. The tennis court is the fourth of a series of construction at the Baguio athletic bowl which is highlighted by the PhP382 million youth convergence and sports complex at the front of the swimming pool.

The city has also started use of the PhP41 million grandstand extension which serves as command center of the city sports development office. Last May, the city held the groundbreaking ceremony of the
PhP30 million, 120 persons capacity athletes quarter, its construction completion is expected by early 2023. “This is a response for a clamor for us to have our very own athletes quarters, we want guest-athletes to have their own quarters every time we have a sporting event here,” said mayor Benjamin Magalong during the groundbreaking ceremony last May “If we book them in hotels then it will be very expensive for us.

We want national and international athletes here so that our very own will be inspired to aspire for more,”
said the mayor. “While we have excelling athletes from the combat side, we have to hone other athletes
like those in athletics or cycling,” he added. Dela Pena said the quarters that will rise at the back of the
swimming pool will be a 30 room facility that can house 120 persons at one time. It has hot and cold shower and a cafeteria. The project is expected to be completed within 10 months, if weather permits, but may take as long as 14 months.

Entrance to the quarters is a dirt road from the Gov. Pack Road just after the Baguio City High School campus. The eyes to construct the PhP10 million climbing wall, come extreme sports cum obstacle course race facility and the PhP1 million archery range. The last of the project expected this year is the upgrade of the oval which is about PhP50 million and is meant to rectify the length of the track, which is four meters
short, and widen it to follow international standards. “This is for our athletes, they compete and win but they
do not have the standard facility,” said Dela Pena in Filipino in his welcome address.

Pigeon Lobien/ABN