By Zen Trinidad and Robert Maico
CALAMBA CITY, Laguna, Dec. 15 (PNA) — The Calamba Sports and Convention Center nears its construction as minor revisions of the agreement between the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and the City Government of Calamba will be finalized in a meeting scheduled on Tuesday (December 16).
According to Dennis Lanzanas, head of the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), once the agreement is finalized, the city council’s next move is to give an authority for the mayor (Justin marc SB Chipeco) to sign the loan agreement with LBP. And as soon as the funds are available certified by LBP, bidding for the construction follows.
The site of the Sports and Convention Center is within a 6.7-hectare property where the tallest monument of Dr. Jose Rizal in the world is located, also known as The Plaza.
In a previous interview with Architect Joven Guevarra, the Sports and Convention Center occupies a space of 20,815,15 square meters. It has 8,560 seats and could cater to 13,000 people at one time.
Designed by Design Coordinates, Inc. and J.C. Lopez Associates, the center is shaped like a jar or “banga”, which is the famous symbol of Calamba.
Architect Guevarra said the area will become an institutional, commercial, recreational and sports complex. In the design, there will be an outdoor tennis court, covered basketball court and soccer football field outside the “Center.” Ample space will be provided for commercial establishments also .
The Calamba Sports and Convention Center was unveiled on August 28, 2014 in time with the 272nd anniversary celebration of Calamba as a “pueblo” separating it from then then town of Tabuco, now the City of Cabuyao. (PNA)