The Cebu City Council is set to approve an Ordinance renaming two streets at the North Reclamation Area in gratitude to the services and contributions made by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce in Industry to the city’s progress.
No one showed up to oppose the recent public hearing of the proposed ordinance authored by councilor Nestor Archival, renaming the 11th and 13th streets of the NRA to Commerce and Industry Streets respectively.
Historian and former CCCI president Efren Valiente defended the organization’s position paper on the proposed undertaking.
Valiente said the remaining of the streets is very much welcome considering that Cebu City and CCCI have been partners for how many years in developing and sustaining commercial and industrial growth in the area.
Its partnership, Valiente said, even survived two World Wars.
Historically, Valiente said, the then American colonial government in gave CCCI an 813-square-meter lot for a 100-year lease from a reclaimed area right across City Hall.
The American colonial government wanted to emphasize the need for both to work in tandem to develop and make Cebu a prosperous city.
Valiente also gave examples of streets around the world which are named Commerce and Industry Streets.
There are Commerce Streets in Glasgow in Scotland and in England, both in the United Kingdom.
In the United States Commerce Streets are found in Las Vegas, Nevada; Nashville, Tennessee; Manhattan, New York; Dallas, Texas; Brooklyn, New York; Occoquan, Virginia; Williston, Vermont; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Lockbourne, Ohio.
The ordinance will be taken back to the Committee on Laws for a report and then back to the floor for a third and final deliberation. — Ferliza C. Contratista/BRP (THE FREEMAN)