The Rizal Memorial Sports Complex should not be torn down. Your article (“Neither PSC nor City Hall can promise Rizal Memorial won’t be demolished,” Lifestyle, 12/19/16) discussed its art deco facilities. Yes, it is pretty inside. But besides the visual attraction, there is a more important consideration. Inside there are great sports facilities. There is an Olympic-size swimming pool, football, basketball and baseball stadiums, track and field facilities, tennis, bowling, taekwondo and many other underutilized facilities.
I do not begrudge the Philippine Sports Commission for wanting to move to Clark, Pampanga. Most of the facilities at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex have seen better days. But for a beginning athlete it’s a great place to train on a regular basis. Clark Pampanga is just too far away for student players.
Quezon City has the Amoranto Sports Center. I often go there. Amoranto is regularly used by the public and student athletes. Instead of turning Rizal Memorial Sports Complex into a shopping mall, the city of Manila should spend some money and renew the facilities. We owe it to the Filipino youth and to our future Olympic hopefuls.
JONATHAN FOE, jonathan_foe@hotmail.com