City gov't eyes bigger venue for Dinagyang’s golden year
ILOILO CITY, Dec. 19 (PNA) -- The city government here is looking forward to the completion of a bigger Freedom Grandstand in time for the 50th year of the staging of the Dinagyang Festival in 2018.
The new Freedom Grandstand will have a 4,000-seat capacity, double the size of the existing structure at J.M. Basa Street, City Proper. It will also have office spaces, according to a media statement from the city public information office.
The structure will be built in Muelle Loney facing the Iloilo River. It will rise in a 2,600-square meter property of Panay Railways Inc. which the City Hall will purchase at Php32 mill
Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog noted that construction works are expected to start next year and hoped to be completed on target schedule.
“We want to hold the 50th Dinagyang Festival in a bigger new venue fit for its golden year and to accommodate more guests and spectators,†said Mabilog.
The present grandstand will be demolished to pave the way for restoration of Sunburst Park, which will also show the beauty of façade of Customs House or Aduana building.
The City Council already approved a resolution authorizing Mabilog to sign in behalf of the city a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) of Department of Tourism (DOT) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) for Sunburst Park revival project.
Under the MOU, the City Government will “maintain, operate, manage and administer†the Sunburst Park once it is finished. BOC owns the park property.
Sunburst was named in honor of the American 40th Infantry Division of the same nickname that liberated Iloilo City from Japanese during World War II.
Meanwhile, occupants of the site where the new grandstand will be constructed will be relocated to city-owned resettlement site. The Bureau of Fire Protection regional and city offices will be allotted satellite parking area at their current location as they will be transferred to Molo district. (PNA)
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