The 2,000-seat Aquatic Center at New Clark City in Capas town, Tarlac, is nearing completion and will be ready for use next month, as the facility is set to host athletes in the 30th Southeast Asian Games later this year.
According to a statement emailed to media on Friday by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the center is at 90% complete.
It has a 10-lane competition pool, an 8-lane training pool and a diving pool with a 5-meter maximum depth, meeting the global standards of the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), the sport's world governing body.
"We hope the New Clark City sports complex will inspire and motivate our athletes in the upcoming SEA Games," said BCDA president and CEO Vince Dizon.
Dizon noted that the facilities at New Clark City will be the first major sports hub constructed by the government since the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex built in 1934.The Aquatic Center's design took inspiration from “baklad,” or woven fish nets of local fishermen, as well as Capiz shells used in traditional Filipino architecture.
Besides the Aquatic Center, the New Clark City sports complex also includes a 20,000-seat Athletic Stadium and the Athletes' Village.
The sports complex is part of the development's Phase 1A, or the National Government Administrative Center (NGAC), which also hosts government buildings and a condominium-type housing for government employees.
Clark will be the main hub of the SEA Games, which runs from November 30 to December 11.
The BCDA and its project partner, infrastructure developer MTD Philippines, have assured the completion of New Clark City Phase 1A by end of August.