• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The first athletes’ dormitory in Bacolod City, worth P12.5 million, will soon rise at the Romanito Maravilla National High School (RMNHS) in Barangay Estefania.
Mayor Alfredo Benitez, who led the groundbreaking ceremony for the two-storey facility Aug. 20, said the new dorm, that will be built a stone’s throw away from the dilapidated shack where the athletes have been staying while in training, is “one way of taking care of those who bring recognition and awareness for our city.”
The school takes pride in being “the home of champions and record holders” in the Palarong Pambansa and other sporting competitions, both local and in Asia.
These outstanding athletes include Mico Villaran, 16, dubbed as ‘The Gold Harvester’, and the Most Bemedaled Athlete in the Palarong Pambansa 2024 held in Cebu last month. He bagged the gold in the 400m hurdles, 110m hurdles, and in the 4×100 relay; and a silver in the 4×400 relay.
Villaran, who also took home a bronze for the Philippine team in the 4×400meter relay during the ASEAN school games in Vietnam this year, thanked Benitez and the city government for the new and improved dormitory.
He said they are excited to transfer to the much-improved dormitory that is expected to be finished in six months, adding he himself has been staying in the shack while in training since 2019. He recalled that the lean-to has been there for more than 10 years already.
Villaran said there are 23 student-athletes this year, including the girls, and they are all excited to transfer to the new dorm that, according to Benitez, could accommodate up to 32 athletes.
The budget for its construction comes from the city’s Special Education Fund for 2021.
“In six months, ara na ang first athletes’ dormitory sang syudad,” the mayor said, and assured that the city would construct more if there’s a need.
But he reminded the athletes to also make sure that their studies will not be taken for granted. “They should realize that part of being a good athlete is they must also have mental training.”
“It is important na kung athlete ka, indi mo man pagpabay-an ang studies mo since these academic lessons are part of what’s training you to become a good athlete,” Benitez told the student-athletes during the program prior to the blessing and groundbreaking.
RMNHS principal Gladys Cerona, meanwhile, said the new dormitory “is more than just bricks and mortar. It symbolizes progress and a bright future we are building together for our athletes, who bring pride to our school, division, and the city.”
Aside from Villaran, other athletics champions from the school under coaches Miguel Arca and Adriana Arca are Airex Gabriel Villanueva, Bernalyn Bejoy, Ann Katherine Quitoy, Trexie Dela Torre, Jerry Belibestre, and Christopher Lirazan, among others.
Also in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony were Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, councilors Em Ang, Celia Flor, Pao Sy, Cindy Rojas, Simple Distrito, Thaddy Sayson, Jason Villarosa, and Kalaw Puentevella, school teachers, faculty, and students, city engineer Loben Rafael Ceballos and staff, other department heads, Estefania Punong Barangay Jerry Tingson and benefactor Romanito Solinap, who delivered messages of support for the project, and Rev. Fr. Amat Sagar Tirkey of the Triumph of the Holy Cross, who led in the blessing of the area where the dormitory will rise, among others. | CGC
