Philsports Arena, Rizal to undergo major P800-M renovation

Street dwellers sleeping outside Rizal Memorial Stadium Track & Football—PHOTOS BY LYN RILLON

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will use an P800 million contribution from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) to refurbish the Philsports Arena and Ninoy Aquino Stadium in time for the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

PSC Chair Butch Ramirez received the check for that amount on Wednesday from Pagcor counterpart, Andrea Domingo, and will use it for the renovation of those premier sports facilities in Pasig City and Manila, respectively.

The amount will also be used to improve the football pitch and track oval inside Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.

“This will be a good legacy for Pagcor that under your watch, all three facilities will be rehabilitated at this level,” Ramirez told Domingo during yesterday’s hand-over ceremony at the Pagcor head office.

Since the construction of Ninoy Aquino Stadium in the late ’80s and Philsports Arena in the ’90s, no major facelift has been done on both venues.

“This P800 million is very sentimental for the PSC because those structures have never been rehabilitated this way,” Ramirez said.

“We are trying to give you as much [help] as we can,” Domingo said.