Palaro hosting enlivens Tagum City

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, May 08 (PIA)—Tagum City gets a big boost being the host of the 2015 Palarong Pambansa.

It reaps much economic gains drawn from the Palaro while it shoulders 80 percent of the burden of providing the billeting sites to about 11,000 Palaro delegates.

Tagum City Mayor Allan Rellon in a press conference revealed having noted that hotel rooms were filled to maximum capacity, transportation services grew in demand, church-goers increased in number, and micro and underground entrepreneurs gained more.

In going around the city, he even got feedback how a small school canteen earned P12,000 to P15,000 a day from purchases of Palaro delegates.

“We invested so much effort, time and talent to make this Palaro the best ever,” he said citing the aspiration of Davao dle Norte Provincial Governor Rodolfo P. del Rosario. “I think we made it; the common feedback is positive,” he added.

The city government allotted about P14 million budget to meet the requirements of hosting the stay of Palaro delegates in schools tapped as billeting areas. The city government bought water pumps, stainless water tanks, among others.

 Of the 30 billeting sites for Palaro delegates, 16 were in Tagum City. These were Tagum City National High School, Mangga Elementary School, Apokon Elementary School, Laureta Elemetnaty School, Laureta High School, Magugpo Pilot Elementary School, Don Ricardo Briz Elementary School, Magugpo Pilot Elementary School, Tagum National Comprehensive High School, La Filipina National High School, La Filipina Elementary School, University of Mindanao Tagum College, Bethel UCCP Learning Center, Jose Tuason Jr. Memorial High School, Madaum Elementary School, Rizal Elementary School.

Schools in Tagum City also opened doors for Palaro technical officials who were billeted in Tagum National Trade School, Visayan Village Elementary School, Mankilam Elementary School, Union Elementary School, St. Mary’s College.

The daily spending of visitors, guests and parents added to the consumption of about 11,000 Palaro delegates, was enough to stir vigor of the city's economy. The mushrooming micro enterprises inside and outside the Davao del Norte Sports and Toursim Complex spelled much money in circulation. What used to be sleepy Provincial Capitol lane in Mankilam Tagum City teemed at its side with a number of food outlets, souvenir stores and even sari sari stores.

The Provincial Capitol area came alive with so many tricycle units plying to and fro the national highway and the bus terminal of Tagum City. Vendors brushed each other’s shoulders as they went on hawking bottled water, colas, snack food to thirsty and hungry spectators and athletes.

On the other hand, Governor del Rosario estimated that some P100 million was circulating in Tagum City and in nearby towns, and that even the city of Davao benefited from the influx of guests, visitors and Palaro athletes.

He based his estimates on the P1,000 daily allowance given to the Palaro delegate in their 10-day stay in Tagum City. With 20,000 estimated number of athletic delegates, guests, visitors and parents, much money was circulated in the local economy. No wonder, Tagum City became much alive as economic activities become brisk during the Palarong Pambansa. (PIA 11/ Jeanevive D. Abangan)