MAYOR Crisostomo “Cris” Garbo of Mabalacat City in Pampanga is planning to host the first and biggest amateur invitational golf tournament in Clark next year.
The mayor made the announcement during the Metro Clark Advisory Council (MCAC) meeting on Wednesday.
According to Garbo, the planned tournament, the Metro Clark Invitational Golf (MCIG), targets 2,500 players from the Philippines and other countries like US, Australia and South Africa.
He said the tournament is aimed to promote Mabalacat City and other Metro Clark areas such as Porac, Angeles City, Mabalacat City, Bamban, Capas, and Tarlac.
“Aside from boosting tourism, we want to show how beautiful and secure our place is before local and international players,” Garbo said.
With the planned tournament in September next year, the tourism industry will be getting a boost, particularly passenger traffic, as Garbo expects golfers to use the Clark International Airport for domestic and international flights. He also sees a surge in hotel, restaurant, and tour packages in the area.
Slated few months after Clark’s hosting of MICECON next year, the Metro Clark Invitational Golf will be patterned after prestigious golf tournaments in the country like the PAL Interclub and the Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament.
Garbo said negotiations for the Metro Clark Invitation Golf with Mimosa, Sun Valley, and Korea Country Club golf courses are ongoing.
Meanwhile, Clark Development Corporation president Agnes VST Devanadera and the MCAC mayors welcomed the planned sporting event.
