So, what now?

The holiday season is six weeks gone, the Sinulog revelry, and tragedy for a particular family, recorded in history books. The usual clutter and the prompt clean-up made the city come back to normal – traffic, political pompousness, destruction of perfectly good roads only to repave it again, drug and election related violence, misplaced travel advisories and the plan of resurrecting dead rivers.

Speaking of resuscitation, the Cebu City Sports Center, also going by its familiar name Abellana National School Grounds or just simply Abellana, had its football field trampled, battered and abused as soon as the new year comes in.  With the “one beat, one dance, one world” phenomenon, the pitch becomes badly beaten by the dances showcased to the world.

Let’s be clear on one thing.  I’m not against the holding of activities on the field, be it concerts, dances, festivals or whatever kind of gathering.  To state the obvious, the city doesn’t have an area as big as the CCSC to accommodate these events with ample seating, never mind the parking.

By the end of January, the field looks like a hybrid mix of a battlefield and memorial park with bald patches overwhelming the few shades of green.

There were reports some time ago that a “soon-to-rise” sports complex somewhere at the South Road Properties will give Cebuanos and the rest of the Visayas and Mindanao an alternative “world class” sporting venue.  It is said to have two (indoor and outdoor) FIFA-standard football fields aside from facilities for different sports and recreational activities. 

Rarely do I reach that place as we northerners already are destined to be tormented with almost immovable traffic, so I just cannot exactly say that the “soon-to-rise” indeed is risen.

The country’s favorite pastime and the arrival of crispy banknotes is just four months away and I would like to assume that stakeholders on whatever plans they are having will have to put their bright ideas on hold until who sits high and mighty at the city hall.  Then if their stars do align, something good for everyone, particularly the sporting community, will be seen at the SRP.

In the meanwhile, we continue to cram for field rehab whenever the football gods decide to schedule a major FIFA-sanctioned match at the CCSC.  I would not want to be in the shoes of the administrators of the sports center as really, there’s no other logical choice to hold large events, be it socio-cultural or athletic. 

I do hope that the Sinulog Grand Parade will find a permanent residence at proposed facility at the SRP.  When that time comes, the CCSC administrators can finally focus on constant and lasting upkeep on the center.

Maybe, just maybe, if we populate the local government with individuals with real concerns on athletic facilities, venues and sports in general, it won’t be long for us to host national and international sporting and recreational events.  Only then would they be deserving of the “honorable” title.

* * *

Towns have slogans and if you use them in going on a road trip from the northern tip of Cebu, you partake of the pintos delicacy in Bogo City with their slogan, “Padayon Bogo”.  Driving down, you pass by Sogod, “Is So Good”.  There’s Catmon with their budbod kabog and then “Amazing” Carmen before reaching “Sidlak” Danao. 

You pass by “Our Home” Compostela and then drop by Titay’s and stay for a while at their coffee shop upon reaching Live, Love, Liloan.  Depending on the time of day, you need to linger further in the land of rosquillos and masi as chances are, your temperatures will be boiling because of Trapik Consolacion.