• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The construction of the new football pitch at the Bacolod City National High School (BCNHS), worth P50 million, is nearing completion as the city prepares to host the Batang Pinoy this December.
Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya, accompanied by city administrator, Atty. Mark Steven Mayo, and Public Employment Service Office manager Jovelyn Canoy, inspected the progress of the project at the school oval Sept. 24.
“So far, we can see that it’s almost done. The lights are already up and the artificial grass is currently being installed on the field itself. Hopefully, this will serve as the venue for major sporting events held here in Bacolod,” Mayo said.
The 7,490-square-meter facility features FIFA-standard artificial grass and four 25-meter lighting towers fitted with LED lights to accommodate night matches.
Per the City Engineer’s Office, the installation of the artificial turf reached a 60 percent progress, as of Sept. 24.
Mayo said the project, which began construction in March, is expected to be completed before the end of October.
While the playing surface meets international standards and is designed to be all-weather, Mayo noted that the seating capacity remains limited.
Due to space constraints, the city will initially construct a single grandstand, though engineers are exploring options to expand spectator capacity for larger events. | TMD
