If things go as planned, 2006 promises to be another big sporting year for Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.

Rep. Monico Puentevella yesterday said he is planning to bring at least three major sports events, including two international football tournaments, in Bacolod City this year.

Aside from the Asian Age-Group Football Championships and the Tiger Cup, Puentevella --- the prime-mover of the Bacolod Southeast Asian Games hosting last year --- said he will bid for the hosting of the Philippine National Games revival.

"Bacolod has two of the best stadiums in the country with the Bacolod City Sports Complex and the Panaad Stadium, and I think the city is the best qualified to host these events," the solon added.

The Philippine Sports Commission is intending to revive the PNG as part of its Unified Sports Program but this will depend on the outcome of the meeting between the sports agency, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education on Jan. 11, PSC chairman William Ramirez told the DAILY STAR.

Ramirez also expressed his support to the Bacolod hosting bid of the National Games, saying that the city has the proper facilities to stage the event.

The PNG revival may be held in September or the first or second week of October, he said, adding that he will also discuss the hosting details with Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon and Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia.

The National Games will feature all Olympic sports and may serve as one of the qualifying events for the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar, Puentevella said.

Meanwhile, Puentevella said he is coordinating with the PSC and the Philippine Football Federation for the city's hosting bid of the Asian age-group football tournament and the Tiger Cup --- Southeast Asia's most prestigious football tournament.

These major events will once again perk up the local economy, especially the hotel and restaurant industry, the Bacolod solon said.

Meanwhile, DepEd acting secretary Fe Hidalgo is expected to arrive in Bacolod next week to sign the Memorandum of Agreement that will pave the way for the creation of a multi-agency management board for the Bacolod City Sports Complex.

The management board will be composed of representatives from the DepEd, Negros Occidental High School Alumni Association, Bacolod Congressional District Office, Bacolod City Government and the Negros Occidental Cultural and Sports Foundation. *CPT

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