The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has vowed to develop the almost 70-hectare Mindanao Civic Center (MCC) into a regional training hub for athletes with the hope of making it a sports tourism destination in Northern Mindanao.
PSC chair John Patrick Gregorio said he was impressed after visiting MCC, describing it as a ‘world-class sports facility’ and the ‘biggest local-government-owned sports center in terms of land area and existing sports facilities’ in the country.
‘Once we establish the Regional Training Center, it will serve as a sports university that can produce champions from the grassroots,’ he told the Inquirer.
PSC chair John Patrick Gregorio (kicking a ball) visits the 66.4-hectare Mindanao Civic Center in Sagadan, Tubod, Lanao del Norte Monday afternoon, July 28, with Lyndon Calica, provincial administrator (center), and other PSC officials. Photo courtesy of Lloyd Galon
Gregorio, who was here for the Sports and Youth Summit held at the provincial capitol on July 28-29, noted that sports is an investment that can help transform conflict-affected areas into peaceful and safe communities.
He said the regional sports training hub will have focused programs in football, swimming, sepak takraw, tennis, basketball, volleyball, track and field, and arnis, among others.
Gregorio visited the MCC and met some children who were on football training.
Lanao del Norte Rep. Imelda Quibranza- Dimaporo (first district) cited recent certificates the MCC received from the Federation of International Football Association and from World Athletics, which both acknowledged that the MCC meets their standards.
Dimaporo said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed support for the province’s efforts to establish a sports university within the MCC.
The President had instructed Dimaporo to coordinate with the PSC, according to her.
‘We have a lot of athletes, but they were not discovered because they were not trained well. We have the facilities but not fully utilized to train our athletes,’ she said in Cebuano.
In pushing for MCC as a major sports hub in the region, Dimaporo recalled it was the venue of the Palarong Pambansa in October 2003.
Then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo opened the national games that brought together 4,100 athletes and coaches from across the country.
In a video statement, Gov. Mohammad Khalid Quibranza Dimaporo expressed gratitude to Gregorio for the visit, noting the province is keen on a partnership with PSC for sports development.
Lyndon Calica, provincial administrator, said they will visit the sports facilities in Clark City to benchmark the dormitories for athletes to be constructed at the MCC.