The City of Dumaguete was given the coveted Organizer of the Year (Government Sector) in the recent Philippine Sports Tourism Award held at Savoy Hotel Manila in Newport, Pasay City.
The awardees were selected by a panel of judges from various sectors, including the Department of Tourism, the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee and organizer Selrahco Management and Consultancy Services.
It was also a runner-up in the Sports Destination of the Year category, having hosted a variety of sporting events which brought in thousands of athletes and tourists.
Last year, the city hosted the Dumaguete Triathlon, Children’s Games, the Dumaguete Dragon Boat Challenge and the Beach Volleyball Republic On Tour, in line with its 70th charter anniversary.
The Philippine University Games has made the city their default venue because of its strategic location, splendid facilities, reasonable costs, conducive environment, and warm hometown crowd.
Earlier in 2017, Little League Philippines Series, National Frisbee ultimate Championship, Philippine National Games, Batang Pinoy, Philippine Super Liga Spike on Tour, and the 1st Southeast Asian Beach Handball made the city their playground.
Dumaguete Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo said they have been positioning the city as a sports hub in the central Philippines by organizing and hosting national events.
“This award will top off all the tourism awards we got. I always believe that sports is a great equalizer and unifier,” he said at the PSTA awarding ceremonies.
In-mid February this year, Dumaguete hosted the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association, the regional qualifying round of the Palarong Pambansa where the city’s sports excellence and trademark hospitality were once again put to the fore.
The city also recently became the venue of the Visayas Regional Selection Camp of Jr. NBA Philippines last March with coaches led by Rob Newson of the NBA and PBA Legend Jeffrey Cariaso.
Remollo also disclosed that the city will be hosting the 20th Asean University Games in 2020, the biggest regional sporting event for students from the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The provincial capital of Negros Oriental, Dumaguete has been known as “The City of Gentle People” due to the extraordinary warm hospitality of its people and genteel way of life.
Aside from its sports award, the city was named by The Philippine Retirement Authority as the top in their Retirement Area Deemed as Retiree-Friendly (RADAR) index which measures a place’s compliance with global lifestyle standards set by the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and International Living.
It was also listed as the world’s fifth best place to retire by the prestigious Forbes Magazine.
