Rizal Memorial Stadium

[Usapang Football]

The Rizal Memorial Track and Football Stadium, simply known as the Rizal Memorial Stadium since it is the main stadium within the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and is also the national stadium of the Philippines. It served as the main stadium of the 1954 Asian Games and the Southeast Asian Games on three occasions. It is also officially the home of the Philippine national football team, but due to the deterioration of the of the entire venue, it has become unfit to host international matches.


Location: Manila, Philippines
Built in: 1934
Owner and Operator: Philippine Sports Commission
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 30,000
Field dimensions: 111 x 71 m (121.4 x 77.6 yd)

Renovation

Since the 1930's, it has hosted all major local football tournaments and some international matches. When a new tartan track was laid out at the oval for the country’s initial hosting of the 1981 Southeast Asian Games, the venue became a hub for athletics and the football field’s condition slowly deteriorated. It eventually became unsuitable for international matches which meant the Philippine national team would have to play their home games at an alternate venue.
In early 2009, as the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) announced plans to renovate the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, restoration of the football field and stadium was also planned. The restoration would include removing the track oval and transforming it to a modern football stadium. The PSC has vowed to raise money from the private sector and the government, totaling at least ₱50 million for the renovation, which they plan on doing sometime in the last quarter of 2009. In February 2010, it was announced that the PSC was still waiting for a private partner to co-finance the project, therefore the original schedule for the renovation was delayed.
The renovation of the stadium is one of many projects of the PSC to help struggling associations to be more competitive. Although the transformation of the Rizal Stadium into a soccer-specific stadium has drawn skeptics as there is a belief that it should lead to a movement to revive football in general, but won't and it doesn't do anything for the sport at grassroots level.
Despite the doubts, it was announced in February 2010 that the plans for renovation are set to start sometime in March 2010 with the participation of De La Salle University. The project is expected to finish in six months. National athletes presently training at the track and field oval will be relocated at the PhilSports Complex or at the PSC training center in Baguio City.

[Usapang Football]

sports.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20090329-196760/PSC-plans-to-restore-RMSC-football-field


PSC plans to restore RMSC football field
By June Navarro
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:11:00 03/29/2009

Filed Under: Infrastructure, Sport
MANILA, Philippines – The once international caliber football field at the Rizal Memorial Stadium will be restored by the end of the year, said Philippine Sports Commission chairman Harry Angping.

Angping vowed to raise P20 million from the private sector and some P30 to P40 million more from the government to rebuild what was once the centerpiece arena at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Angping, who began refurbishing the infrastructure inside the sprawling sports center, said the government allocation would come from a special fund to be earmarked by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“We’re planning to transform the track oval into a football field by the last quarter of the year,” said Angping yesterday.

The football field inside the RMSC hosted all major tournaments of the sport and some international matches since the 1930s.

When a new tartan track was laid out at the oval for the country’s initial hosting of the Southeast Asian Games in 1981, the venue became a hub of activity for athletics and the football field’s condition slowly deteriorated.

National athletes presently training at the track and field oval will be relocated at Philsports in Pasig City or at the PSC training center in Baguio City.

“The weather and training conditions in Baguio are far more conducive. I think our athletes can train better there,” said Angping.

[Usapang Football]

sports.inquirer.net/sport/football/view/20100206-251552/We-also-need-a-football-revolution

We also need a football revolution
By Recah Trinidad
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:10:00 02/06/2010

Filed Under: Football
IT WAS A WIN-WIN KICK, NO MATTER which side of the neglected national football field you stand.

Of course, there was no notable applause, no happy ripple whatsoever, that followed the announcement from the Philippine Sports Commission about the planned upgrade of the rutted track and football stadium at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex into a world-class football venue.

That “deadma” reaction was all to be expected.

In the first place, who cares about the universal game of football in the Philippines?

* * *

PSC chair Harry Angping obviously does.

“The plan is to turn the Rizal Memorial Track and Field Oval into a football stadium,” Angping said.

He said they’re just waiting for a private partner to help co-finance the noble project.

Topping the list of possible partners is De La Salle University, noted top backer of the game of soccer among local universities.

* * *

Knowing Angping, it’s easy to believe the plan would push through.

Of course, Angping cannot be expected to start executing the project with the same promptness he had torn down the girlie joints at the Harrison Plaza edge of RMSC after he assumed office.

But it’s safe to guess that the PSC chief is also in a hurry to join this latest move to revive football in the Philippines—again!

* * *

OK, we do need one world-class football stadium.

But, come to think of it, does Angping honestly believe the planned world-class soccer stadium could fuel full-scale football revival hereabouts?

Does Angping, in trying to help Philippine football back to its feet, sincerely believe a classy football turf far away from the grassroots would kick football here back into orbit?

That’s quite doubtful.

In the first place, that midsection of the Rizal Memorial oval also used to serve as a football field.

* * *

It, in fact, hosted the Cruzeiro team, starring the great Tostao (known as the White Pele) in 1970, the year Brazil captured the Jules Rimet trophy.

Anyway, once the world-class football field has been completed, what would be the next move?

They would most likely invite world-caliber teams to play here.

And these foreign teams would be pitted against so-so teams from the Philippines.

Don’t look now, but there’s no escaping the fact that, with our poor style of play, that classy football turf at RMSC would ironically showcase how lowly football is played here.

* * *

The sight of the RP side being slaughtered right in the national arena would be another big turn-off.

So, the recommendation is for the PSC to pursue the national football stadium project.

But at the same time, it should lead a movement—a revolution no less—to make football understood and accepted by the populace.

The logic is simple: We can produce better players, better-quality soccer only if we can have enough aspirants from the grassroots to aspire and play in the main national stadium.

There are countless kids waiting and longing to try their luck in the game of soccer.

Unfortunately, they are always turned off by the perennial lack of available playing turfs.

It’s always been a case of a bridge too far (to cross) from basketball court to the ever absent village football field.

[Usapang Football]

www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=470131&publicationSubCategoryId=95

MANILA, Philippines – Walang personalan, trabaho lang.

Sa kanyang planong pagandahin at lagyan ng 'income-generating source' ang Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, handa ang Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) na alisin ang maalamat nang track and field oval sa Vito Cruz, Manila.

Ayon kay PSC chairman Harry Angping, isang modernong football stadium ang kanyang ipapalit sa track and field oval bukod pa rito ang binabalak na 'Sports Mall'.

"Of course, track and field will not be happy but we're going to convert the track and field oval into a modern football stadium," wika ni Angping.

Matatandaang isa si Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Go Teng Kok sa mga kumokontra sa pamamahala ni Angping, dating kinatawan ng ikatlong distrito ng Maynila sa Kongreso.

"Remember in 1960's and 1970's kapag may football matches diyan (RMSC) ang daming tao, punumpuno 'yan," sabi ni Angping, dating pangulo ng softball association. "And we already conducted an occular inspection, and it's beautiful."

Halos isang buwan matapos ang kanyang pag-upo bilang bagong chairman ng sports commission ay nagplano na si Angping na tanggalin ang mga bar at restaurants sa paligid ng RMSC.

Ang mga ito, ayon kay Angping, ay papalitan ng mga internet cafes, sports shops, bookstores at drugstores.

Sampung negosyante na ang nagpahayag ng interes sa PSC na uupa sa nasabing mga puwesto sa RMSC. (Russell Cadayona)

[Caz]

We sure could use that stadium renovation now.

[xyz1000]

Indeed, do we really need it now!

At least it shows that there are some in the country who have the vision, unlike the current/deposed PFF chief Martinez.

The writer Recah Trinidad obviously doesn't see beyond what's in front of her. We here know that an international standard stadium is required for the Azkals to host regional tournaments. Another use would be for the fledgling local league to have a place to play and grow. Yet another would be for exhibition matches to treat the local fans.

I've always maintained that it would be good for us not to get that home game, if only to serve as a wake up call for the powers-that-be to pay more attention. I hope the alarm is ringing loud and clear in their ears.

[Filipinas50]

" What a big disappointment it is for the Philippines not to have a home veneu that meets the international standards requirements...The upgrading/renovation of the Rizal Memorial Stadium should have been accomplished by now, but so far it's all talk! Maybe this is a WAKE UP CALL indeed for everyone..."

P.S. If Indonesia can have a stadium of this magnitude, why can't the Philippines do the same? It is a national investment that will last for generations to come...

GELORA BUNG KARNO STADIUM/JAKARTA
CAPACITY: 88,000 FANS with accomodations over 100,000!
OWNER: NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
DATE BUILD: 1962 at a cost of $12.5 Million Dollars

[agentjcstrike]

aside sa renovation ng rizal memorial, sana makapagconstruct din tayo ng bagong stadium

[carlesmadridista]

Easier said than done, but it just takes money. There needs to be a reason why people would come to the new stadium and why investors would want to put their money into a profitable business venture.

The product, Football, needs to energize and excite a lot of people (customers) to get the funding. More media exposure from ABS/CBN, etc. can accomplish this. There needs to be a representative(s) from the Philippine Football organizations to reach out to these different media outlets to start promoting the game of football.

[faajose]

dpt renovate nlng nila ung mga built stadions pra mkatipid, dagdagan ang seats pgandahin ang lights at tsaka mgdagdag ng attraction sa stadium mga basketball courts etc...

[fabregaspublicist]

Dec 11, 2010 17:44:37 GMT 8 Filipinas50 said:

" What a big disappointment it is for the Philippines not to have a home veneu that meets the international standards requirements...The upgrading/renovation of the Rizal Memorial Stadium should have been accomplished by now, but so far it's all talk! Maybe this is a WAKE UP CALL indeed for everyone..."

P.S. If Indonesia can have a stadium of this magnitude, why can't the Philippines do the same? It is a national investment that will last for generations to come...

GELORA BUNG KARNO STADIUM/JAKARTA
CAPACITY: 88,000 FANS with accomodations over 100,000!
OWNER: NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
DATE BUILD: 1962 at a cost of $12.5 Million Dollars

Actually, that stadium was built in 1960s for the Asian Games in Jakarta in 1962. And it only cost like less than $15 million. But that was 1960! It is 2010 now! And to build a stadium like that this time cost more than $400 million (this is the cost of the beautiful Donbass Arena in Donetsk, Ukraine)! That is P17.6 billion.

But they are planning to build two very beautiful stadia in Davao. One is for the reconstruction of the Davao del Norte Sports Complex Stadium in Tagum City and the other one is the stadium in the "proposed" Davao City Sports Complex in the UP Mindanao Campus.

[maximus]

^^we need to buildup first the interest of pinoys in football. it's no use if we build that big stadium here in the Philippines while majority of Filipinos are stuck in basketball

[Filipinas50]

Jan 8, 2011 8:53:44 GMT 8 maximus said:

^^we need to buildup first the interest of pinoys in football. it's no use if we build that big stadium here in the Philippines while majority of Filipinos are stuck in basketball

ABSOLUTELY! and now that the momentum has pick up, I believed this is the right time to put up plans to expand and renovate current stadiums to FIFA standards...




P.S. Latest reports shows that the renovation of Rizal Memorial is on it's final stage and would be completed in a few months...

[futbolerole16]

Feb 27, 2011 14:32:48 GMT 8 Filipinas50 said:

I went inside Rizal Memorial Stadium today and personally took some photos of the football field and the grandstand...









Looks like they are still letting the grass grow sinced it is sealed off by a yellow tape all around, Bleachers and Grandstand seats looks fine to me and don't look like that news video that was shown a few months ago...

hmmmm...sana gawan ng second tier dyan tsaka yung footbridge from harrison plaza....suggest ko lang..

[curtlanceunited]

Keep off the Pitch! hehehe