Hazard to health

Churchill Aguilar

EARLY last month I was diagnosed with having essential hypertension following a spiked up blood pressure during one of my travels in Baguio City. I was even hospitalized at Baguio Medical Center for it. I was given prescription and was advised to shape up and keep my cholesterol level low.

Like any good patient I have to heed to the doctor’s advice. I started to eat less salt, less fat and more organic food. I went back to jogging as well. True enough, I got back in shape in no time. The challenge however was to maintain my routine and keep myself fit. And since I recently returned to Cagayan de Oro, I didn’t waste time to hit the track at the Pelaez Sports Center.

When I got in, I was asked to pay entrance and parking fees. Fair enough, such facility needs maintenance to sustain its operation. When I looked for a changing room, I was led to a dirty toilet near the entrance with, again, another charge for my use. When I asked if I could come back to change after my run, I was told that it would be another additional charge. I mean what? Really?

And when I started my run, I noticed that the once perfectly rubberized track is now more like scattered puzzle pieces of rubber mats some of which were overlapping while a great part had no rubber mat at all. Not only was I disappointed by such sight, it was actually very dangerous for other runners who are not mindful of their steps. They could easily stumble on the irregular surface or get injured by it.

What aggravated my dismay was that I also noticed a bunch of high school kids (surely not professionals) throwing javelin and metal discus in the middle of the field while there were groups of people playing soccer and Frisbee.  A soccer player had to shout while running for her life as she saw a javelin thrown towards her direction. At the outer side but still inside the track premises were kids practicing their pitching and catching skills in baseball.  I mean the whole sports complex is accident waiting to happen. It is literally a hazard to all users.

This concern should be brought to the attention of the provincial government that is in charge of operating and maintaining the sports facility.

First, the Pelaez Sports Center used to be at par with national standards in sports facilities–what has happened? If you charge for entrance fees, you should at least maintain the quality of equipment inside, including the rubberized track.

Second, toilets and changing rooms are essential parts of any sports facility, should be covered already by the entrance fees. So are the availability of drinking fountains, and not just one that barely functions.

Third, there has to be a safety officer that will traffic sports events inside the oval instead of just leaving people on their own to do as they wish exposing everyone to danger.

Finally, health is wealth. The government is duty-bound to ensure health and wellness among its citizens. As such, charges of the use of the sports facilities should be socialized depending on the capacity of the person to pay, and rates should differ for day users since they don’t spend for lighting.

And since the sports center is not something that we can really be proud of at this time, I would suggest that the employees there don’t wear violet. It’s not helping your cause at all. Just saying.