MANILA, Philippines — Lanao del Norte reached another milestone in sports infrastructure after the 400-meter track oval at the Mindanao Civic Center (MCC) in Tubod earned a Class 2 certification from World Athletics (WA), making the complex the first in Mindanao to feature two internationally certified sports facilities.
The certification was announced by Lanao del Norte First District Representative Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo during a roundtable discussion with members of the sports media. The World Athletics certificate was formally presented by Audris Romualdez, managing director of E-sports International.
"The MCC is really for the entire region of Mindanao. I wanted a venue with international standard facilities that can be a place for local athletes, and especially the national teams to train so they can reach the global stage,” said Dimaporo.
The newly certified oval joins the FIFA-certified football field inaugurated at the MCC in May 2025, giving the complex dual international recognition and further establishing it as one of the country’s premier venues for sports development.
Built by E-sports International, the 400-meter track uses Rekortan-M synthetic surfacing, a high-performance system widely utilized in international athletics venues. Under World Athletics standards, a Class 2-certified track meets global geometric specifications and is qualified to host national-level competitions while providing athletes with a facility that meets international training standards.
The latest certification forms part of the provincial government’s continuing efforts to transform the Mindanao Civic Center into a leading destination for major sporting events while expanding access to world-class facilities for athletes in the region.
With both World Athletics and FIFA-certified facilities housed in one complex, the MCC is now positioned to host regional, national and international competitions, further boosting sports tourism and athletic development in Mindanao.
Located in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, the 71-hectare Mindanao Civic Center serves as the province’s premier sports, cultural and recreational complex. Declared a tourist destination by the Philippine Senate in 2023, the facility also features a 14,000-seat stadium, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a gymnasium, a motocross track, a trade center and on-site accommodations, making it capable of staging major sporting events. TMT
