UP Mindanao (UPMin) held a brief groundbreaking ceremony for seven infrastructure projects and inaugurated the Davao City-UP (DC-UP) Sports Complex Multi-purpose Human Kinetics Building or Training Gym on February 3. The events took place after UPMin’s tribute to outgoing UP President Alfredo Pascual.
Of the new structures to be constructed, three are part of the 20-hectare DC-UP Sports Complex development: the Football Stadium (phase 2); the Football Field and Track Oval (civil works); and the Aquatics Center. Four other facilities are: the Faculty and Staff Housing; the College of Science and Mathematics Research, Development and Extension Building; the Center for Advancement of Research in Mindanao (phases 1 and 2); and, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Cultural Complex.
The Training Gym is the first DC-UP Sports Complex structure to be inaugurated. At the program, key government officials pledged continued support for the project.
Officer-in-Charge Michael Aportadera of the Sports Development Division-City Mayor’s Office, who represented Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, expressed the city leader’s confidence in the project’s development as Davao City plans to bid for the hosting of the 2019 Palarong Pambansa and subsequently, the Southeast Asian Games.
Philippine Sport Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez, who represented President Rodrigo Duterte, said that the national government, through the PSC, will extend assistance to the progress of the project. President Duterte, who was then Davao City mayor, strongly pushed for the construction of the DC-UP Sports Complex and signed the agreement with UP to implement the project.
Davao City 3rd District Representative Alberto Ungab, who succeeded his brother, Isidro Ungab, announced that he remains supportive of the endeavor. Isidro Ungab was acknowledged by UP President Alfredo Pascual as being instrumental in providing funds for the development of the DC-UP Sports Complex as chair of the House Appropriations Committee from 2013 to 2016.
In his speech, Pascual expressed gratitude to the aforementioned government officials and their respective offices for their contribution to the project’s realization. He also said that Davao City continued to be UP’s solid partner in seeing the development through. Pascual, who was days away from the end of his term as UP president, said that he “was leaving satisfied and reassured that the development of this sports complex in UP Mindanao is proceeding smoothly.” (Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo, UP MPRO)
For more photos of the event, please click here.
