In Tagum City, exist a 6,000 square meters recreational area with amenities such as volleyball court, tennis court, sepak takraw court, chess enthusiast room, mini soccer field/ dog show area, basketball court and beach volley ball court and others. The City Sports Office is also located in the park, so as with the City Tourism and the City Information Office – a Wifi Hotspot. They say that the best thing the Rotary Park can offer is the basketball gym which can accommodate 1,500 spectators, I say 1,500 is too small for a crowd of almost 300,000 residents of Tagum City. If we will consider that 5 % of that is basketball fanatics/ enthusiast, how can we accommodate them? And are we sure that it is only 5%?
By the way, our gymnasium have facilities like electric fans, 3-way sound system with 24 adjustable equalizer, high powered lightings, hanging fiberglass basketball board with spring ream, pre-finished wooden tiles, electronics digital game clock with separate 24 seconds shot clock, locker rooms and restrooms. I can consider it as the best gym of its kind when we talk of little city and barangay or organizational leagues but it cannot cater to national basketball events. It is way behind in comparison with gymnasiums of other big cities that are fully air-conditioned and with very big seating capacity. Our gym can be compared with some gyms of big private universities of Philippines like De La Salle Universities and others. I am stating this because I want to refute the statement that this is the best thing that our Rotary Park can offer. Yes, it is the best gym in this place of the region but I don’t believe it is the best thing our Rotary Park can offer. I know we will be constructing in the not-too-distant future a gym that we can be very proud just like our nearly Half a Billion Pesos New City Hall of Tagum that is located in Barangay Apokon of this city.
Huh, lengthy explanation for the gym alone (hehehe). For me, the best thing that our Rotary Park can offer is our Tagum City Beach Volley Drome, a 5,000-seating capacity volleyball court right in the center of the Rotary Park. Although it is not yet official, but it is considered as the only permanent Volley Drome in Asia with all the amenities of a Beach Volley Tourney. This year 12th Nestea Beach Volleyball tournament – Mindanao elimination was held in the Volley Drome of which the event is sponsored by Havaianas, Speedo, Mikasa, Penshoppe, Tagum Beach Volley Drome Rotary Park , University of St. La Salle Bacolod , Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park , Crystal Sand Beach Resort, Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel, La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel, D'Mall, D'Boracay and Hey Jude Hotel Resort.
According the Otie Camangian, Secretary General of Philippine Volleyball Federation, “the country’s beach volleyball bets now have a place they can call their own” and said further “that the venue could help generate more interest in the sport.” The Philippine Volleyball Team loves to train in Tagum City because of the sports facilities and the quality of life of the city. Soon it will also be considered as the official training and competition center for the beach volleyball team aspirants of the entire country.
Lately, Tagum City headed by the City Mayor Rey Uy has expressed intent to host the Southeast Asian Youth Beach Volleyball Championship this coming November in celebration of the Feast of Christ the King. There is a very big chance that Tagum City will pass the requirements for hosting considering that it has its own beach volleyball facilities located at the heart of the city. The city also passed through the (South East Asian Volleyball Federation) SEAVF’s initial requirements of holding the tournament because it is only one hour away from the Davao International Airport. So far all other Southeast Asian countries signify their intention to participate the said event except for the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste. I will be very happy to assist anybody who wishes to visit our city.
(Photocourtesy: Bryan Jimenez, CIO, IT Office)
