To improve athlete training facilities, the Legazpi city administration has set aside PHP10 million to create a sports academy.
The funds will be utilized to develop a multifunctional structure that will contain sporting goods and function as a training ground.
Importance of sporting facilities
It is crucial to have training facilities available all year long, not only during tournaments, Mayor Alfredo Garbin stressed.
"For athletes to train effectively year-round, they need accessible facilities whenever they want to practice. This, in turn, supports our local government by ensuring that sports equipment is also readily available," Garbin said.
The mayor acknowledged the pride that athletes bring to the city and promised that the local administration will continue to support their goals.
Bicol’s sporting achievements
In the just finished Palarong Bicol 2025, Garbin commended the athletes' efforts, pointing out that Legazpi City went from 35 gold medals and a sixth-place ranking in 2024 to 48 gold medals and a fifth-place ranking in 2025.
Among the top athletes from Bicol is Joanie Delgaco, hailing from Iriga City, Camarines Sur, who is a trailblazing Filipino rower who has made history in the sport. She became the first Filipino female rower to qualify for the Olympics, securing her spot in the 2024 Paris Summer Games by finishing fourth at the Asian and Oceania Olympic Qualification Regatta in South Korea.
