CEBU CITY — With just a month left until the 2024 Palarong Pambansa begins, acting mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia is confident in Cebu City's preparedness to welcome the 12,000 delegates from all around the country, saying that they are now 90 percent ready to host the games.
Hosting the games for the first time in 30 years, Garcia said the city is almost ready to welcome the top student athletes from elementary and high schools from the 17 regions in the Philippines.
Garcia met with contractors, officials from the Department of Education and the Local School Board (LSB) at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) on Wednesday, to oversee the final phase of the preparations.
Emphasizing strict adherence to deadlines, Garcia ensured that the ongoing preparation, including the renovations being done in CCSC, is progressing smoothly.
He said that one of the aspects of the preparations that they have focused on involved the renovation of the rubberized track at the CCSC oval, an essential facility for the running events.
Garcia acknowledged concerns about whether the rubberized track will be finished before the national sporting events start on July 6, but he assured that the contractor committed to completing the renovation works by June 21.
The acting mayor said the second layer, or the pouring of the rubber granules, was done last Tuesday morning, and by the afternoon, they completed the final layer, or the installation of the red top coat.
Additionally, regarding other facilities like the billeting quarters and restrooms, he affirmed that the LSB is managing the tasks to ensure the comfort and convenience of the participants.
Meanwhile, Garcia disclosed the revision of the budget for Palarong Pambansa, citing a need for prudent allocation of government funds.
Earlier this week, The Manila Times reported that Garcia reduced the budget for the event by P138 million. The allowed budget is now at P262 million, marking a 34.5 percent decrease from the original allocation of P400 million.
Garcia said that the budget cuts of around P200 million from Supplemental Budget 1 included the P50 million LED wall and the P38 million grandstand extension.
He also scaled down the budget for side events to P20 million from the initial P60 million, aligning with his goal to trim unnecessary spending.
Despite the adjustments, Garcia remains optimistic about the preparations, asserting that the city is about 90 percent ready for the event. With a few minor adjustments remaining, he expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far.
The Palarong Pambansa is scheduled to start on July 6 and will run until July 17, with the opening ceremonies set on July 9 at CCSC. The city last hosted the event in 1994.
Garcia is serving as the acting mayor as Mayor Michael Rama was suspended for six months by the Office of the Ombudsman due to a complaint filed by city hall employees who have not been paid for 10 months and were reassigned to different offices from the City Assessor's Office.
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