• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday raised the possibility that pickleball might soon be included in the Palarong Pambansa.
“Pickleball is becoming very popular. I think soon this may be part of the Palarong Pambansa,” Lacson said during the opening of Paddle City in Bacolod City on May 14.
“The more available courts there are, the better for us Negrenses. Obviously, we’ve grown to enjoy playing pickleball,” he added.
Paddle City, located along Magsaysay Avenue in Barangay Singcang, Bacolod City, officially opened its doors with seven pickleball courts and eight more under development.
The complex features a unique mix of amenities, including an indoor car wash, a food court, a full-service bar, and air-conditioned VIP courts.
Former Hinoba-an Councilor Jason Tupas, one of the five investors behind Paddle City, said the project took four months to complete.
“We thought pickleball was just a passing hype. But as we’ve observed the community, it’s clearly something that will last. Here in Bacolod and Negros, we’re still in the stage of discovery,” Tupas said.
Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez, Bacolod Councilor Jason Villarosa, and Singcang Airport Barangay Chairman Rosenie Distrito also joined the blessing and inauguration rites, which featured a celebrity exhibition game by showbiz couple EA Guzman and Shaira Diaz.
Tupas said Paddle City’s courts are open to the public for play.
The facility operates daily from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., extending until midnight on weekdays and 2 a.m. on weekends.
Guzman and Diaz, both avid pickleball players, invited enthusiasts and newcomers alike to “come, visit Paddle City, and experience high-caliber facilities and equipment.” | GB
