For two days, I experienced
what it’s like being inside an athlete’s village. Ever since I started
following the Olympics, I became curious about what’s it like being in such
place. Fortunately, I got invited as part of a small media team to spend a
night at the one the Philippines built for the 30th South East Asian
Games held at the New Clark City in Tarlac. Although this sporting event is a lot
smaller in scale, I am hoping that we can further expand our sporting infrastructures,
so we can host the Asian Games and then the Olympics someday.
Building the New Clark City
As the project of the BCDA (Bases
Conversion Development Authority) who also owns a total of 9,450 hectares, of
which only 3,500 hectares are buildable, leaving almost 6,000 hectares to be
reserved for green spaces suitable for growing farms and forest reserves, the
New Clark City is part of a master-plan to construct a sustainable and green
city of the future.
Today, the early signs of
development can be seen through the architecturally gifted structures of the
Athletics Stadium, the New Aquatics Center, the Athlete's village and a few
office buildings. The vast empty area circled by wide rows of roads signals the
availability of expansive prime lots awaiting future development.
New Clark City Athletics Stadium
This 20,000-seating capacity
stadium was designed by Budji + Royal Architecture + Design using Mt. Pinatubo
as inspiration. Like for example the ringed roof-line resembling the volcano's
crater and the use of volcanic debris on its facade.
Since the opening of the 30th
Sea Games was still a few days away, it was empty on the day of our visit. I get
to try running a short lap over the oval tracks which felt like no other
terrain I’ve ran before. It has the perfect mix of softness, firmness and
cohesiveness on the feet.
It would have been an
amazing bonus experience if I also get to be a spectator on the live competition
such as the 100-meter sprint and the other athletics event.
The Controversial Cauldron
Dampening the architectural
marvel of the Athletics Stadium is the over-priced cauldron—which became an
unfortunate symbol of the Government’s excess. Priced at a staggering 60
million peso, it was designed by Philippine National Artist Francisco Mañosa. I
must agree though that it look a lot appealing to the eyes given its industrial
look and design inspiration from the Filipino traditional Filipino torch known
as sulo.
In a country besieged with
overpriced contracts and endless streak of corruption, I wish the developers
were more open in explaining all the details of the cauldron’s design—including
what they claim as the underground tunnel used to direct the fuel to light the
cauldron throughout the duration of the games.
New Clark City Aquatics Center
Also designed by Budj +
Royal Architecture + Design, this structure incorporates a figural form of a
'baklad'—fish traps or 'kural'—and elements of Filipino handicrafts of weaving
and wood carving. It has a winged prismitic roof made of 'capiz' coating that
doubles as an open shed.
The Aquatics Center houses
an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a training pool and diving pool. The sports of swimming,
water polo and all categories of diving in the 2019 SEA Games was held here.
Spending a Night at the Athlete’s Village
As opposed to the misfortunes
experienced by the athletes in Manila due to a series of organizational
blunders, for the ones billeted at the Athlete’s Village in New Clark City, there were all
raves and no complains. Let’s just say the BCDA did a better job of organizing the event on their end. It appears they were spared from the mis-management that
besieged Cayetano’s SEA Games planning committee.
Being able to spend a night
inside the Athelete’s village had me observing the jovial atmosphere brimming
of Filipino hospitality. The meals served were lavishly served round the clock
from breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and even a midnight snack. All the
meals were halal-certified to accommodate the Muslim athletes from Malaysia,
Brunei and Indonesia.
Top chefs such as Sau Del
Rosario personally headed the kitchen crew. There are also entertainment areas
where athletes can hang out, a couple of swimming pools, a basketball court and
a souvenir shop.
What about the Indigenous People?
As promising and exciting
the future of New Clark City is, it’s conceptualization and actual creation didn’t
came without controversy. As we listened to Athletes Village Mayor Arrey Perez
discuss the plans of BCDA for the New Clark City, I admit being thrilled at what
the future will bring. Imagine a new city that will attract technology,
tourism, sports development and even new residents, to comprise a post-modern
and sustainable green city? I mean who wouldn’t be excited at that idea.
But all of these comes with
a cloud of suspicion that in doing so, thousands of our indigenous brothers and
sisters from the Aeta community who call the plains of Pampanga and Tarlac as their home for many
centuries, were displaced by the conception of the New Clark City.
The BCDA have released a
statement saying they gave "financial assistance packages amounting to
Php300,000 per hectare (or Php30.00/sq.m.), have also been made available to
all project-affected people, including IPs/farmers"
30 pesos per square meters?
in exchange of being displaced and for a new city poor IP people can't afford
to live in, to take their place? As huge as my excitement for a green city to emerge
out of Metro Manila and to see more eye-popping architectural wonders, I must
ask myself a question: Is it worth it?
I just hope the BCDA and the
Government can do a lot more to our IP brothers and sisters than just handing
them 30 pesos per square meters of their land. I pray that they will be
included in the future development and growth of the New Clark City.
Oh, and please make the
sports facilities at New Clark City accessible to all Filipino athletes.
