P5 million pledged for repair of Fuente park, fountain

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has authorized Mayor Tomas Osmeña to sign a memorandum of agreement with businessman Michel Lhuillier, for the latter to take care of the city’s oldest park that was named after Cebu’s Grand Old Man, then President Sergio Osmeña, Sr.

The mayor said Lhuillier, who owns a chain of pawnshops in the country, has pledged to spend P5 million to make the Fuente Osmeña park more beautiful and a real tourist attraction.

While it is Lhuillier who will spend for the colored lights and other decors to be installed in each of the trees at the Fuente Osmeña park, it is the city that will shoulder the electric consumption.

Osmeña explained that the beautification of the Fuente-Osmeña park may reach P5 million because Lhuillier will include the repair of the fountain located at the center of the oval.

 It was learned that the fountain was built in there to commemorate the first waterworks system here in the city – the Osmeña Waterworks System - that was later turned over to the city government and is now the Metro Cebu Water District.

The mayor said he observed that the Fuente Osmeña is not so beautiful during the nighttime because of the lack of decorative lights.

He suggested that colored lights be installed in each tree around the park.

This move is undertaken to complement the huge and tall Christmas tree constructed by Lhuillier there in the past years. Design takes on a makeover each year.

In return for Lhuillier’s efforts, he is allowed to put up advertisements, free of charge, within the public park. — Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)