Taytay sports complex breaks ground

The sports complex will have an Olympic-size swimming pool, grandstand, oval, and a provision of quarters for athletes. #taytaysportscomplex

Sen. Bong Go (third from right) joins the ceremonial shoveling for the Taytay Sports Complex. (MPIO)

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go and Taytay Mayor Joric Gacula led the groundbreaking ceremony of the world-class sports complex in Taytay, Rizal province on Monday.

The P721-million sports complex will be built at the 8.5-hectare property owned by the local government at Barangay Muzon, Gacula said in an interview.

Gacula said construction of the first phase of the project will begin in January next year and is set to completed by year 2020.

“Ito nag earth-moving na sila, after this groundbreaking siguro mag-start ‘yan mga January na,” he said. “Yun first phase matatapos by 2020 tapos 2021 yun next phase, so before 2022 tapos na ‘yan.”

The state-of-the-art sports complex, which was designed by an international architect, will have an Olympic-size swimming pool, grandstand, oval, and a provision of quarters for athletes.

“Meron din kasi component ‘yan ng park para ‘yun mga family during weekend habang nagtri-training ang mga atleta pwede silang mag-picnic doon,” Gacula said.

The first phase, which will be constructed by the regional public works and highways, will have a budget of P300-million.

“Nung nalaman agad ni Congressman Jack Duavit na meron nyan agad-agad nag-ambag sya ng P50 million for this year para lang masimulan lang at ‘yung gagawa naman nun ay ‘yun ating Rizal Engineering District 1,” Gacula said.

“Hanggang dulo ang pledge ni Senator Bong Go pero hindi rin makakatiis si Congressman Jack Duavit dyan, alam mo naman si Congressman galante rin so dadagdagan pa nya ‘yan ng mga amenities kasi sabi ko baka pwedeng samahan ng playground at park,” the Taytay mayor added.

The world-class sports complex, he said, could help develop the potential of local athletes.

“Bagamat palagi tayo champion sa Southern Tagalog wala tayong maipagmalaki na training ground. Yan ang nakita ko nung unang termino ko as mayor, ang mga taga Rizal pupunta pa ng Marikina City uupa pa ang mga kabataan para lang makigamit doon,” Gacula said.

The local chief executive thanked President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Bong Go for fulfilling their promises to construct a sports complex in Rizal province.

“Nung nabanggit natin ‘yan sa ating Pangulo at kay Senator Bong Go nung sila’y kakapanalo palang noon eh hindi nagdalawang salita ang ating Senator sabi nya sige gumawa kayo ng request o resolution, naipadala agad sating Pangulo naisama sa budget ng 2019,” Gacula said.

“Pasalamat din kay Speaker GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) hindi nya isinama (veto) yan, hindi nya tinanggalan ng budget kasi nakita nya ang kahalagahan kasi mga kabataan naman talaga ang makikinabang nyan eh na hindi kayang mag-train sa mga mamahaling sports club,” he added.