The provincial government of Ilocos Norte has announced a new usage policy for regular goers at the newly-rehabilitated Ferdinand E. Marcos Sports Stadium in this city.

“Let’s enjoy the stadium. It is a public venue and the use of the facilities will be free for three days a week,” Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc told reporters on Thursday.

To ensure the upkeep of the facilities of the 12,000-capacity track and field stadium, a fee of PHP30 will be collected on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, while the olympic pool is free for everyone every Sunday.

Exempted to this, however, are senior citizens, persons with disabilities, students, and minors aged 17 years and below and who have valid IDs since they may use the facilities for free for the whole week.

Funded by the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), the PHP1-billion renovation of the Marcos stadium, which was heavily damaged by Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) in 2018, forms part of the Ilocos Norte’s “Big 3” projects.

This reopened in 2022 as part of the provincial government’s sports program on preventive healthcare by providing more outdoor spaces for people to improve their health and well-being.

Aside from hosting sports events, the Marcos stadium serves as a training ground for athletes and a regular hangout of runners and Zumba dancers of all ages.

The old comfort rooms were repaired and more tennis courts with enclosures were established in preparation for the hosting of the Palarong Pambansa this coming April. (PNA)