City to make Compania Maritima area into park

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City government would bring back life on the highly-disputed Compania Maritima, not only with all led lights and Christmas decorations, but with a park soon.

This was revealed by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama after the city government had the ceremonial lighting of the so-called Tree of Peace at the said area last Sunday night.

Rama said such activity is very significant not only for them in the local government but for the rest of the Cebuanos.

“Importante kaayo nga naay Christmas Tree diha, aron sa pagpasabot nga dili angay gukdon, dili angayan nga e-complicate pa ning lugar sa Compania Maritima,” said Rama.

The complication came when the Cebu Port Authority exerted its ownership rights to the property.

Rama said he already talked with Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista on what to do with the area with the maritime sector to which the CPA also belongs.

Last month, Rama shared that the maritime museum will be put in place at the Compania Maritima itself.

The said property has been declared as an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum of the Philippines alongside the Gotiaoco Building as disclosed by NMP-Cebu head Audrey Tomada to The Freeman.

The other ICP identified here is the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

But aside from the maritime museum, Rama shared that they will have a park along with it.

“Nag-estorya mi ni Sec. Jaime Bautista, amo ng gisabutan na nga area, nga ang tibuok lugar ato gyud ng buhaton nga usa ka park. Usa ka park nga maglakaw ang mga tawo. Ang among sabot ni Secretary sa DOTR Jaime Bautista hangtud maka abot sa Plaza Independencia, manglakaw,” said Rama over a live feed from Australia where he and his family are taking a vacation.

Along the area in Plaza Independencia are Fort San Pedro and Aduana Building that is now being converted as the NMP-Cebu which are National Cultural Treasures.

With this, Rama hopes Vice Mayor Raymond Garcia, who is also the chairman of the Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission (CHAC), will work on the heritage district.

“I wish the vice mayor, the acting mayor is now working hard to make that area sa Magallanes, pedestrianized aron nga inig umaabot nga adlaw, inig balik nako, i-fast-track na diha aron mangimbitar ta ni Sec. Bautista inig pag unveiling nato diha,” added Rama.

Rama stressed that as long as he is the Mayor of Cebu City, he will continue pursuing on the preservation of the city’s heritage.

The Mayor also called on members of the media to also promote the area.

“To the media, unta isangyaw ninyo nga wala na diha ang gubot. Dapat ato gyud nga isangyaw nga kanang lugara, ang tag-iya diha, ang katawhan..katawhan, when I say katawhan, kitang tanan, labi na ang mga anak sa mga dagkong tawo, ug sa mga tawo kaniadto,” said Rama.

More to it, the mayor also called on everyone to be united.

“Maghugpong gyud ta, e pluribus unum… out of many, one…Kung kitang tanan magkahiusa, kinsa man kaha ang makabuntog. Tinubok-ang Sugboanon, nagpuyo sa Syudad sa Sugbo nga padayong nibarug para sa kaayuhan sa Syudad sa Sugbo..Sa pagpabarug, founded by heritage, historical pieces, in the name of God, in the name of Sr. Sto. Niño,” Rama stressed.

Vice Mayor Garcia, the acting mayor, couldn’t agree more in preserving the Compania Maritima and the rest of Cebu’s rich culture and heritage and hopes that by this time, all their efforts in preserving the Compania Maritima would last.

“The Christmas Tree for peace, I hope that this time, this will truly be lasting words, nga Christmas of Peace…and the Compania (Maritima) — I don’t want it to decay, the oldest of its kind here…It is important to keep it, preserve it and to make sure that it does not deteriorate and get destroyed…It is but fitting, that the city government takes care of this structure and nobody else, nobody. It is the mandate of the city government to preserve our history, to preserve our heritage and our culture,” Garcia said. — (FREEMAN)