LAOAG CITY (PIA) – In an effort to support local athletes, Laoag City Mayor Michael Marcos Keon said he will be adding sports development activities to his priority plans for the year 2023.
With an allotted budget of Php15 Million, the local chief executive plans to establish a city-owned running track and some sports facilities to give room for athletes to train.
The budget will also cover the creation of the Laoag City Sports Development Council for the 15 clustered Barangays in the city which will be led by sports coordinators from the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division of Laoag City.
“We’re already putting aside funds for the purchasing of uniforms, equipment, training, and competitions. We are going to be concentrating on a certain number of sports that Laoageños are notable in like basketball, futsal, football, taekwondo, and we are also looking into baseball and chess,” he said.
Keon, also a running enthusiast, said he is starting with the development of a running track and plans to stage a racing event which he dubbed “Sand Dune Challenge” next year, which will be a first in the city.
We will have a racing competition in the Sand Dunes. We plan to have 5K and 10K category races over the sand and we are going to invite the top runners in the Philippines to participate in this event. It will be open for male and female athletes, also” Keon explained.
He added that after the race, they will be staging a concert in the sand dunes. He recognized the event as a major tourism opportunity for the city.
Moreover, Keon highlighted the ongoing Palarong Pamasko basketball and volleyball tournament in the city noting that these competitions are the signal of the re-emerging sports opportunities in the city after the two-year lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
