Ni Angie Oredo

Legazpi City – Matindi ang pagnanais ng Albay na maging main hub, kung hindi man maging host, ng international event katulad ng Southeast Asian Games sa 2019. 

Ito ang ipinahayag ni Albay Governor Joey Salceda sa pagtatapos ng ika-59 na edisyon ng Palarong Pambansa nitong Sabado kung saan masaya niyang pinarangalan ang lahat ng sangkot sa torneo sa tagumpay na nakamit.

“We’re so very happy with the views and hits that our province receive from the social media, and the publicity generated by the print media,” sambit ni Salceda. “It is so nice to know that we were able to promote our province as what we really wanted and what as we projected,” dagdag niya.

Sinabi ni Salceda na handa ang lalawigan para maging host ng international multi-event championship tulad ng SEA Games na muling ibinigay ang hosting sa Pilipinas sa 2019.

“We in the province believe that sports makes a man complete because here lies discipline, value and character which we, Bicolanos, have known for. Alam naman po natin na sa dami ng bagyo, disaster at hindi inaasahang mga kaganapan ay nasanay na kami at siyang nagbibigay sa amin ng aming pagkakakilanlan,” sabi ni Salceda. 

Sinabi ni Salceda na pormal siyang magpapadala ng ‘intent letter’ sa Philippine Sports Commission at Philippine Olympic Committee para isama ang Legaspi City sa kokonsiderahing satellite venue ng SEA Games.

“We will be rooting to have as much as possible athletics and swimming,” sambit ni Salceda. “If not, we wanted to have possibly archery, basketball, and or cycling,” aniya. 

Ipinagmamalaki ni Salceda ang bagong gawa nitong Albay- BU Sports and Tourism Complex na nagkakahalaga ng kabuuang P240-milyon na inaasam nitong magagamit para mapakinabangan ng atletang Pinoy.