Manila Opens New Sports Courts: Registration Starts Next Week

Manila residents can register starting July 14 for weekly slots on the newly resurfaced basketball and futsal courts at the Pasig River Esplanade complex near Jones Bridge.

The move follows a city budget allocation that added four lighted courts to the existing riverside site, giving working adults and students after-hours access in a district short on free play space. City hall staff say the upgrade responds to a 2025 survey that found 42 percent of households in central Manila wanted more organized pickup games within walking distance.

Two established venues already run similar programs that new users can model. The Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Pablo Ocampo Street in Malate offers its own monthly membership for 350 pesos that covers evening basketball and volleyball. The Quezon City Sports Club on EDSA, just across the boundary from Manila, charges 400 pesos for a three-month futsal pass and keeps a public calendar updated every Monday.

City records show the Pasig site will limit each court to 12 players per two-hour block and charge 250 pesos for a monthly card that covers up to eight sessions. Walk-in rates sit at 50 pesos per visit, payable in cash at the guardhouse on the corner of Roxas Boulevard and T.M. Kalaw Street. Applications must include a photocopy of any government ID and a signed waiver available at the same desk or downloaded from the Manila Sports Office page.

Registration steps and required items

Sign-ups run online through the city portal or in person at the Ermita barangay hall on Pedro Gil Street between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Applicants need only a mobile number for confirmation texts and proof they live inside Manila’s six districts. Slots fill on a first-come basis, with priority given to residents of the host barangay for the first 48 hours.

Practical tips before the first game

Players should bring their own water and a change of shirt because the site has no locker rooms yet. Courts stay open until 10 p.m. on weekdays and close at 9 p.m. on Sundays. Those who complete eight sessions receive a free skills clinic slot on the last Saturday of each month run by local coaches from the Manila Youth Basketball Association. Next week’s opening batch covers the 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. window on Tuesdays and Thursdays.