By: Jovin Leron, Gwyneth Placer, and Ailyn Viñas

Rise of Mariawa’s Sports Complex. A 3-hectare floor area that will cater to amenities such as football, baseball, and a 50-meter swimming pool, among others. | Radyo Pilipinas Albay

LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY – A ₱395-million modern sports complex is set to rise in Barangay Mariawa, Legazpi City, Albay, promising to provide a venue for large-scale sporting events and recreational activities.

By providing a dedicated space for sports and recreation, the project aims to encourage active lifestyles, support athlete development, and strengthen the city’s capacity to hold major sporting events in the Philippines.

The sports complex, according to Marion Go, executive assistant of Legazpi City Mayor Hisham Ismail, and sports director of the local government unit (LGU), will serve as a central facility for local athletes during their training, and will also function as competition venue, addressing the lack of facilities capable of hosting citywide, regional, and even national events.

For years, Legazpi City lacked its own athletic facilities, leaving local athletes with no choice but to rely on the training grounds of Bicol University (BU). Thus, they often struggle to secure access, as BU prioritizes its own students. 

Why Mariawa?

Go said no other location can accommodate a project of this scale except Mariawa. He emphasized that the northern part of Legazpi is largely occupied. prompting the LGU to propose building the facility in the southern part.

“We don’t have any available land. In the northern part of Legazpi, many areas are already occupied and are being accommodated. So we chose Mariawa,” he said.

Barangay Chairperson Anabelle Teope said the facility will occupy three hectares of a 10-hectare government-owned property. It is designed to host multiple sports, including football, baseball, track and field, and will include a 50-meter swimming pool.

The LGU conducted an ocular inspection and found that the area has a solid soil foundation suitable for construction.

Mariawa is approximately 10.3 kilometers away from the capital city. Despite its distance, the LGU said that they have identified several strategic advantages.

Located in the southern part of Legazpi, Mariawa serves as a gateway for trips from Legazpi and Daraga to Sorsogon, making its road busier than before because of its convenient way.

Teope added that Mariawa is just a few minutes away from the Bicol International Airport, emphasizing that athletes and visitors across the Philippines will have easier access if ever they are going to compete or visit the facility.

She also emphasized that no households will be affected or relocated by the project.

Road to Mariawa. A widened road connecting the center of Legazpi all the way to the project sports complex in Mariawa, Legazpi City. | Jovin Leron

Hope for the community

For many residents in Mariawa, the proposed sports complex represents more than just an infrastructure, it is a chance to somehow elevate their economic status. In a community where livelihoods and daily income often depend on foot traffic and small businesses, the project hints at opportunities for growth as it will provide the community with new sources of income.

With the proposed sports complex, some of the sari-sari store owners and tricycle drivers are already anticipating the rise in number of customers and income once the construction begins and especially when the facility becomes operational during events.

Teope said opportunities may start as early as the construction phase, when local laborers and construction workers could be hired. Once the sports complex opens, she expects food vendors, small stalls, and transport groups to benefit from events and visitors.

Among those hopeful are Arceli, Estrella and Milagros, sari-sari store owners from Mariawa who described their daily earnings as quite low. Like many micro-entrepreneurs, they feel the weight of slow foot traffic and limited local activity. 

Estrella said that the sports complex could help improve her small business, noting that nearby vendors would likely experience larger sales once visitors begin coming in for events.

“Right now it’s weak, but it might improve once the sports complex is built,” Estrella said.

Apart from sari-sari store owners whose hopes are high, are the tricycle drivers that depend on foot traffic to have daily income.

For tricycle drivers, the sports complex, once it is operational and holds some events, could mean more consistent daily income. Long waiting times in the barangay have made driving a challenging way to earn.

Dennis Atule, a tricycle driver in the area, shared his excitement after learning about the project.

“Oh yes, the tricycle drivers will definitely benefit,” he said.

Residents hope that once the sports complex is completed and operational—especially during events and tournaments—the increase in foot traffic and people visiting their barangay will help them boost their daily income.

These hopes are further emphasized by Go, stating that local vendors, business owners, and tricycle drivers are among LGU’s top priorities.

“Right now, the Mayor always prioritizes the local business owners, just like what they did with the Legazpi Night Market, they give more priority to the Legazpeño,” he said.

However, he also said that if ever the local business owners are unable to provide certain services, the LGU may allow outside vendors to fill the gap.

“Maybe if the local business owners here can’t provide what’s needed, then of course we have to source it from outside,”  he added.

LGU’s plan 

Go said that through the proposed sports complex project, the government may be able to help Barangay Mariawa, and other neighboring barangays to elevate their overall progress and development.

Teope said Ismail informed her about the project early on during a barangay assembly, where Ismail announced that Mariawa had been selected as the project site.

“He came here and told us that our barangay was one of the chosen sites to build the sports complex,” she said.

When asked what she felt upon hearing the million-peso project, Teope shared her excitement and pride, while showing her genuine happiness.

“I know that it will bring a lot of opportunities to our barangay,” she added.

As construction is set to begin in 2026, residents of Mariawa are hopeful that the sports complex will bring real benefits to their community. 

Beyond serving as a venue for athletes and competitions, the facility is expected to provide job opportunities during construction, support local businesses, and offer a space for sports and recreation.

For the barangay, the project represents a step toward progress and development. With careful planning and support from the LGU, the Mariawa sports complex could become an important facility for events, training, and community activities, helping the area greater recognition.