With over 25,000 athletes, guests
TACLOBAN CITY — Baybay City is on the final stretch of preparations for the 2026 Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) Meet, with thousands of athletes and delegates expected to converge at the Binaybayon Sports Complex from March 1 to 7.
Mayor Jose Carlos Cari said the city is ready to host an estimated 25,000 athletes, coaches, officials, and visitors for the weeklong regional sporting event, one of the biggest annual competitions in Eastern Visayas that serves as a qualifier for national meets.
At the center of the preparations is the New Binaybayon Sports Complex, part of the 10.5-hectare Binaybayon Complex envisioned as Baybay’s premier venue for sports and major gatherings. The main stadium features an Olympic-size rubberized track oval encircling a full-sized football field, grandstand bleachers, and an Olympic-size swimming pool, all set to serve as primary competition venues.
Beside the stadium stands the 7,589-square-meter Binaybayon Convention Center, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies and other major activities.
Cari said public schools across the city are being readied as temporary billeting quarters for delegations, while volunteers are undergoing training to assist in registration, logistics, and crowd management. He added that finishing touches are being completed on the track oval and a building designated for gymnastics events, with contractors assuring completion before the opening day.
To ensure the safety of delegates and visitors, the Baybay City Police Office has laid out security measures, with augmentation forces from the Leyte Provincial Police Office set to be deployed to cover sports venues, billeting areas, and other key sites.
LtCol. Dexter Edillo said police will work alongside city government personnel, barangay officials, and tanods to secure not only the playing venues and billeting facilities but also other areas where visitors are expected to gather.
Local businesses, including hotels, restaurants, and transport operators, are likewise preparing for the influx of guests.
City officials said hosting the EVRAA Meet is expected to spur tourism and economic activity while leaving a lasting legacy through upgraded sports facilities that will benefit local athletes in the years to come.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
