Jesse Robredo Coliseum. Naga government website
MANILA — Malacañang on Thursday denied insinuations that the Marcos administration’s decision to allocate P500 million for the retrofitting of the Jesse Robredo Coliseum in Naga was politically motivated.
Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice raised the allegation during budget deliberations in the House of Representatives earlier this week.
“Saan niya po nakuha yung mga ganoong klaseng opinyon o pag iisip? Ang pagtulong po sa local government, wala itong pinipili,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told Palace reporters.
“Hindi porket si Mayor Leni nabigyan ng ganitong pagtulong namumulitika na? Binibigyan na ng malisya? Hindi lang po Naga City ang nabigyan ng tulong,” she said.
“Napakairesponsable ng pananalita na mga ganito… Hindi lahat ng ginagawa ng national government ay puro pamumulitika gaya ng ginagawa nila,” she added.
In February, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inspected the said coliseum in Naga City, where he met with former vice president and now Naga Mayor Leni Robredo and other local government officials.
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The P500-million fund is expected to cover the installation of a community kitchen for feeding programs, especially during disaster and relief efforts, improvements to sanitation facilities, roofing system upgrades, and structural strengthening.
The fund will also include upgrades to surrounding drainage systems to prevent flooding as well as adding medical response areas for emergencies.
The Jesse Robredo Coliseum was built in 2010, and was named after the former Naga mayor-turned-interior secretary.
The facility can accommodate between 12,000 and 15,000 people, and is usually used as a venue for sports events as well as an evacuation and relief center in Bicol.
Marcos Jr declares Naga as highly-urbanized city