Cebu City Sports Center

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Cebu City Sports Center
Abellana
Cebu City Sports Center (R. Landon, Cebu City; 01-21-2025).jpg
The sports complex during the 2025 Sinulog
Address Cebu City
Philippines
Coordinates 10°18′1.52″N123°53′43.02″E / 10.3004222°N 123.8952833°E / 10.3004222; 123.8952833
Main venueMain Stadium
Capacity: 8,000
Other sports facilities
  • Swimming pool
  • Multipurpose building
OperatorCebu City Government
Construction
Built1993
Opened1994
Renovated2023–24
Construction cost₱160 million
Tenants
Sinulog (1996–2022, 2025–present)
Global Cebu F.C. (2017–2018)

The Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC), colloquially referred to as Abellana, [1] [2] is a sports complex in Cebu City. It is also known for being the main venue of the annual Sinulog festival.

Contents

History

Former Abellana Stadium

The land where the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) currently stands was used by the Abellana National School in the 1960s and 1970s for school activities including the grandstand structure. The Cebu City government allegedly gave the land to the Abellana school through deeds of donation in 1963 and 1973. [3] The structure then was known as the Abellana National Stadium. The site which has already become dilapidated by 1992. [4] [5]

Cebu City Sports Center

The Cebu City government filed a bid to host the 1994 Palarong Pambansa in 1992 and the Abellana National Stadium was proposed to be the main venue of the games. [4] The new facility costing ₱160 million opened as the Cebu City Sports Center in time for the national student-athlete competition which opened in April 1994. [5] [6] [7] The initial facilities include the grandstand and track oval, the gymnasium and swimming pool area. [8] [9] [10]

The track oval underwent major renovation in 2012. [11]

The CCSC was closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later used as an isolation facility starting 2021. [12] [13] It reopened for regular public use in February 2022. [14]

In May, 2024, the Cebu City Council granted P65 million budget for CCSC renovation. Its track oval was closed from May 18, 2023, forcing practicing athletes to use the Cebu Business Park. [15] The swimming pool area was also renovated including the conversion of the children's pool to a practice area. [16] [17] CCSC is the final venue for the 64th Palarong Pambansa according to acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia. [18] [19] The venue reopened on June 27, 2024. [20]

Ownership

The Cebu City Sports Center is owned and ran by the Cebu City government. [21] However, the ownership of the lot where the sports complex stands has long been disputed between the Abellana National School and the Cebu City government. [3] [22] The sports complex is still colloquially referred to as "Abellana". [1]

Usage

The Cebu City Sports Center was built as a multi-purpose facility for sports competitions and concerts. [21]

The CCSC has been the traditional venue of the Sinulog Festival run by the Sinulog Foundation since 1996. [23] The festival was briefly held at the South Road Properties in 2023 and 2024 before returning to the CCSC. [10] [24]

Philippines Football League club Global Cebu F.C. used the CCSC as their home venue in 2017. [21] Although by the 2018 season, Global has reverted playing their home games in Manila. [25]

Other notable events

In November 2012, the stadium hosted its first ever FIFA international football match, a friendly between the Philippines and Singapore, [26] which ended in a 1–0 win for the Philippines. [27] In 2014, the Philippines national team returned to the stadium in a friendly match against Malaysia, [28] ending in a 0–0 draw. [29]

Facilities

The stadium under a football configuration. (2012) Cebu City Sports Complex.jpg
The stadium under a football configuration. (2012)
Badminton players at the gymnasium (2014) District meet (badminton) (15163837735).jpg
Badminton players at the gymnasium (2014)

The Cebu City Sports Center has a main stadium with a track oval and a 8,000-seater grandstand, although it has a full capacity of 12,000 people. [30] The sports complex's aquatic center has a 50-by-25-meter (164 ft × 82 ft) 10-lane swimming pool and a 25-meter (82 ft) practice swimming area, as well as its own grandstand. [17] [16] The CCSC also has a multi-purpose gym. [14]

VenuePurposeSeating capacityYear builtNotes
Main stadium Athletics track and football venue8,0001994
Swimming pool Aquatic sports venue–1994
Multi-purpose gymIndoor sports venue–1994

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Magsumbol, Caecent No-ot (December 10, 2023). "Oval under renovation". The Freeman. The Philippine Star. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  2. ↑ Larisma, Arkeen; Lim, Cherry Ann (April 25, 2024). "Ready for CVIRAA, but not for Palaro". SunStar Publishing Inc. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Cebu City Sports Center: Who owns it? City government? or ..." Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. June 27, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Cebu keen on Palaro bid". Manila Standard. August 28, 1992. p. 24. Retrieved February 18, 2025– via Google News Archive.
  5. 1 2 Angeles, Manny (April 10, 1994). "Workers still busy on eve of Palaro, but hosts confident". Manila Standard. p. 24. Retrieved February 18, 2025– via Google News Archive. ...pool of the Abellana National Stadium, rechristened the Cebu City Sports Center after a refurbishing...
  6. ↑ "FVR to launch Palaro". Manila Standard. August 28, 1992. p. 24. Retrieved February 18, 2025– via Google News Archive. President Ramos and members of his cabinet will fly to this southern city Sunday to formally open the week-long Palarong Pambansa at the Cebu City Sports Center
  7. ↑ Angeles, Manny (April 10, 1994). "Pomp, pageantry kick off Palaro; games start today". Manila Standard. p. 24. Retrieved February 18, 2025– via Google News Archive. ...pool of the Abellana National Stadium, rechristened the Cebu City Sports Center after a refurbishing that cost organizers something like P150 million.
  8. ↑ "Palaro set back by 2 weeks". Manila Standard. April 22, 1992. p. 22. Retrieved February 18, 2025– via Google News Archive.
  9. ↑ Piquero, Pia (July 12, 2024). "CCSC Track Oval: Contractor defends 'expertise' amid criticism of 'incompetency'". Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  10. 1 2 Magsumbol, Caecent No-ot (January 3, 2025). "Garcia: Tradition, innovation can go hand in hand". The Freeman. The Philippine Star. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  11. ↑ Rosal, Glendale; Baa, Jay Chan (July 7, 2024). "CCSC's rubberized track oval shows 'visible signs' of damage". Cebu Daily News. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  12. ↑ Magsumbol, Carlo Lorenciana (July 28, 2021). "Cebu City starts converting sports center into isolation facility". The Philippine Star. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  13. ↑ Lorenciana, Carlo (May 3, 2021). "Cebu City sports center reopens after 14-month closure". www.pna.gov.ph. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  14. 1 2 Magsumbol, Caecent No-ot (February 17, 2022). "Cebu City Sports Center to reopen Saturday, February 19". The Freeman. The Philippine Star. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  15. ↑ Piquero, Pia (May 30, 2024). "Cebu City Council OKs additional P65 million for CCSC renovation". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  16. 1 2 "CCSC pool to reopen very soon". Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. April 25, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  17. 1 2 Fuentes, Kaiser Jan (May 2, 2024). "City sports center revamp 50% done as Palaro looms". SunStar. SunStar Publishing Inc. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  18. ↑ Saavedra, John Rey (May 29, 2024). "Cebu City Sports Center final venue for Palaro 2024". Philippine News Agency . Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  19. ↑ Codis, Denise Mae (May 31, 2024). "'Cebu City track and field athletes affected by CCSC closure'". SunStar . Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  20. ↑ Seblos, John Paul (August 4, 2024). "Sports center 'to undergo another facelift for P65M'". SunStar. SunStar Publishing Inc. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  21. 1 2 3 Limpag, Mike (July 7, 2018). "Cebu sets history in PHL club football". Sun Star Cebu. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Who owns the Cebu City Sports Center?". The Philippine Star. September 29, 2001. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  23. ↑ Bongcac, Doris (January 10, 2023). "Sinulog through the years". Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  24. ↑ Ares, Emmariel; Baa, Jay; Bandolon, Mark Jayward; Erram, Morexette Marie; Oliverio, Niña Mae; Piquero, Pia; Villamor, Shanna Rose (January 20, 2025). "For better or for worse: The 'old' Sinulog is back". Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Global Cebu fails to travel to Iloilo due to lack of funds". Sun Star Cebu. May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  26. ↑ Decena, Karl (August 24, 2012). "Cebu confirms November date between Azkals and Singapore". InterAksyon.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  27. ↑ "All eyes on Sacapano as Azkals best Singapore". Rappler . November 16, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  28. ↑ "Azkals set for return date with Malaysia with April friendly in Cebu". InterAksyon.com. March 28, 2014. Archived from the original on October 4, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Azkals draw with Malaysia anew in Dooley's first home game". GMANetwork.com. April 27, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  30. ↑ "Sinulog 2025: CCSC closes gates as it reaches full capacity". Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. January 19, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025. The CCSC can accommodate up to 12,000 individuals. Its Grand Stand has a seating capacity of 8,000.
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