Panaad Stadium

Panaad Stadium

The Panaad Stadium in 2023
Full name	Panaad Stadium
Location	Bacolod, Philippines
Coordinates	10.624926°N 122.965465°E / 10.624926; 122.965465
Owner	Negros Occidental Provincial Government
Capacity	10,500
Record attendance	20,000 (Philippines vs Mongolia, February 9, 2011)
Field size	111 × 71 m[1] (121.4 x 77.6 yd)
Surface	Carabao grass
Scoreboard	Yes
Construction
Built	August 1997 to April 1998
Renovated	2007, 2010, 2011, 2020
Expanded	Planning
Closed	2020 (Major Renovation)
Reopened	March 21, 2023
Architect	United Architects of the Philippines
Tenants
Ceres–Negros F.C. (2015–2020) Philippines national football team (Selected matches)

The Panaad Stadium (Tagalog: [pɐˈnaʔad]), also sometimes spelled as Pana-ad, named after the park where the stadium is situated in, is a multi-purpose stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod, Philippines.^[2][3]

Panaad hosted various international sporting events particularly football when Bacolod co-hosted the 2005 Southeast Asian Games and the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification against Mongolia. The stadium was a former home to Ceres-Negros F.C.^[4][5]

History

The construction of Panaad started in August 1997 during the term of Gov. Lito Coscolluela. It was finished in April 1998 and opened the following month to host the Centennial Palarong Pambansa.^[6] Aside from the football field, the stadium features a rubberized track. After the construction of the stadium, the Panaad Stadium and the surrounding area was made part of a park which became the permanent main venue of the Panaad sa Negros Festival.^[3]

Renovation

Grandstand in 2010.

In 2007, the Provincial Government has earmarked P2.2 million for the repair of the oval, which has played host to two National Palaro meets, the now-defunct national Batang Pinoy meet, and many school-based athletic events since it opened in May 1998.^[6]

The decade-old stadium was considered to host the semifinal matches of the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup between the Philippines and Indonesia, but was disqualified for not satisfying the standards of the ASEAN Football Federation.^[7]

Despite the minor improvements, Panaad hosted a match between the Philippines national football team and Mongolia in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification on February 9, 2011 with an attendance of 20,000 people, filling the grandstand, bleachers, and standing room areas.^[8][9][10]

In early 2016, it was reported that the provincial government of Negros Occidental is planning to increase the seating capacity of the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod if it wins its bid for the hosting of the 2017 Palarong Pambansa. This is in line with the recent FIFA and AFC stadium requirement of at least 30,000 seats in order to host an international football tournament.^[11] The Negros Occidental chapter of the United Architects Association of the Philippines has made an initial survey and came up with a P200 million (USD4.5 million) budget to refurbish Panaad. A PHP200 million (USD4.5 million) budget could build another roofed grandstand on the opposite side of the field and seats behind the two goals to increase the capacity to 32,000.^[12]

A Ceres–Negros game in 2018

The stadium was refurbished for the hosting of the home matches of Ceres Negros at the 2016 AFC Cup. Fiber glass seats on the main grandstand for VIPs and the media tribune were installed. Media venues within the sports venue were also renovated particularly the press box, VIP rooms, press conference room, and the media working room. A VIP lounge and a new air conditioning system were also installed. By February 2016, the Negros Occidental Football Association were improving the floodlight illumination of the stadium.^[13][14]

In preparation for Negros Occidental's hosting of the 2021 Palarong Pambansa, the stadium was closed in January 2020 for renovation work.^[15][16] Works continued despite the COVID-19 pandemic.^[17] The national games to be hosted in the province would be postponed to 2023. The Panaad Stadium would be inaugurated in March 30, 2023.^[18]

Notable events at the Panaad Stadium

Sports events

• 1999 AFC Women's Championship
• 2005 Southeast Asian Games
• 2007 AFF Championship qualification
• 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification
• 2013 Philippine Peace Cup
• 2014 AFC Presidents Cup
• 2016 AFC Cup
• 2017 AFC Cup
• 2017 Philippines Football League
• 2018 AFC Cup
• 2018 Philippines Football League
• 2018 AFF Championship
• 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification – third round
• 2019 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs
• 2019 AFC Cup
• 2020 AFC Cup
• 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round

Other

• Panaad Festival (annually since 1998)

International football matches

Date	Competition	Team 1	Res.	Team 2	Attendance
12 November 2006	2007 AFF Championship qualification	Philippines	1–2	Laos
12 November 2006		Timor-Leste	2–3	Brunei
14 November 2006		Philippines	7–0	Timor-Leste
14 November 2006		Cambodia	2–2	Laos
16 November 2006		Laos	3–2	Timor-Leste
16 November 2006		Brunei	1–1	Cambodia
18 November 2006		Philippines	1–0	Cambodia
18 November 2006		Brunei	1–4	Laos
20 November 2006		Philippines	4–1	Brunei
20 November 2006		Timor-Leste	1–4	Cambodia
9 February 2011	2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification	Philippines	2–0	Mongolia	20,000
11 October 2013	2013 Philippine Peace Cup	Philippines	1–2	Chinese Taipei
13 October 2013		Chinese Taipei	0–1	Pakistan
15 October 2013		Philippines	3–1	Pakistan
5 September 2017	2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification – third round	Philippines	1–1	Yemen	2,169
13 November 2018	2018 AFF Championship	Philippines	1–0	Singapore	4,327
21 November 2018		Philippines	1–1	Thailand	3,522
5 September 2019	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round	Philippines	2–5	Syria	2,645
15 October 2019		Philippines	0–0	China	2,982

Tenants

The Panaad Park and Sports Complex has been the permanent home of the Panaad sa Negros Festival, an annual festival held every April. Panaad is the Hiligaynon word for "vow" or "promise"; the festival has religious significance, serving as a form of thanksgiving to the Divine Providence. The festival is participated by the 13 cities and 19 towns of Negros Occidental.

The facility also served as the home venue for Ceres Negros. The Panaad Stadium has also hosted matches of the Philippines men's and women's national football team such as the men's competition at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games and the 1999 AFC Women's Championship.

See also

• List of football stadiums in the Philippines
• Rizal Memorial Stadium
• New Clark City Athletics Stadium
• Philippine Sports Stadium
• Biñan Football Stadium
• PFF National Training Center

References

1. "Estádios - Manila, Filipinas". Show de Bola (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 25 August 2011. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
2. Reyes, Glady (28 January 2011). "Panaad Park and Stadium". ExperienceNegros. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
3. Dangcalan, Danny (18 April 2016). "Panaad: A vow that lasts". SunStar Bacolod. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
4. "Ceres-La Salle begins 2016 AFC Cup journey in front of hometown crowd". ABS-CBN Sports. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
5. Guerrero, Bob (12 January 2017). "Football: So, how's that national league coming along?". Rappler. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
6. Tupas, Cedelf (6 September 2007). "Panaad oval up for repair". The Visayan Daily Star. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
7. Senate of the Philippines, Press Release. "Privilege Speech of Senator Zubiri: The Azkals and the State of Philippine Sports: Has It Gone to the Dogs?". Retrieved 2011-02-01.
8. "Sports officials want expansion, creation of football stadiums". GMA News. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
9. Iñigo, Manolo (9 April 2011). "When the azkals rage is stilled". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
10. Dangcalan, Danny (10 February 2011). "Phl Azkals tame Mongolia". The Freeman. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
11. Adiong, Eugene (30 March 2017). "Guv eyes upgrade panaad capacity". Negros Daily Bulletin. Archived from the original on April 1, 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
12. "Panaad stadium renovation to cost usd4.5million". ASEAN Football federation. 12 February 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
13. Galunan, Jerome Jr. (17 February 2016). "Panaad gets facelift ahead of AFC Cup". Watchmen Daily Journal. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
14. Doble, Henry (17 February 2016). "Panaad gets facelift for AFC Cup". SunStar Bacolod. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
15. Buenafe, Nina (9 December 2019). "Visayan Daily Star". www.visayandailystar.com. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
16. Galunan, Jerome Jr. (2 January 2020). "Panaad Stadium closes down for renovation". Sun Star Bacolod. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
17. Ellera, Teresa D. (14 December 2021). "Renovation, rehabilitation works at Panaad on". SunStar. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
18. "Newly Renovated Panaad Football Field and Track Oval". Negros Occidental Provincial Government. Public Information Office Capitol. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.

External links

• Media related to Panaad Stadium at Wikimedia Commons