PBA teams to be invited to play in Benguet

March 9, 2021 JUST IN Sports

TUBLAY, Benguet – Benguet Caretaker Congressman and Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Yap disclosed that he will be spearheading the invitation for a number of corporate teams of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) to hold some of their regular conference games in Benguet once the proposed multi-million rehabilitation of the Wangal Sports Complex will be completed.
Yap, who graced the inauguration of the 20-bed isolation facility in barangay Ambungdulan, stated that once that the closed gymnasium shall have undergone the required rehabilitation with the putting in place of the appropriate wooden flooring, electronic scoreboard, fiber glass board, among others, the facility will now be able to host to conduct of professional basketball games of the PBA that will serve as an added crowd drawer for the province in the future.
Earlier, Congressman Yap worked out the allocation of some P165 million for the continuation of the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Wangal Sports Complex and another P25 million for the improvement of the covered court to allow the province to be able to independently host the conduct of local, regional, national and international sports competitions.
The lawmaker claimed that if he was able to be instrumental in bringing to Benguet the candidates of the Miss Universe – Philippines 2020 and the Coronation Night for the same, he will also do the same for sports activities that will aggressively promote Benguet not only as a prime tourist destination in the north but also as a potential host of top caliber sports competitions.
Aside from the improvement of the covered court to conform with the prevailing standards of sports events, the proposed rehabilitation of the Wangal Sports Complex will include the putting in place of the rubberized track oval, the upgrading of the bleachers and the put up of other facilities for the conduct of outdoor sports events within the facility that is owned by the provincial government.
Yap asserted that Benguet has a very good potential in terms of tourism and sports but what should be done is to put in place the appropriate facilities that will entice people to make Benguet their primer tourism and sports destination for the benefit of generating more jobs for the residents, empowering entrepreneurs to be engaged in economic activities to provide people with additional and alternative sources of livelihood.
Benguet and Baguio City attempted to host the conduct of the Palarong Pambansa in 2018 but the said local governments lost in their bid to do so as it was Ilocos Sur that won the bid for the hosting of the prestigious national sports competition.
With the upcoming implementation of the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Wangal Sports Complex, Congressman Yap expressed confidence that many sports organizers will consider Benguet as the host of the conduct of their various events that will subsequently draw influx of prospective tourists from the different parts of the country.
By HENT