Pavilion for Eucharistic Congress nearing completion

IEC Plenary Hall construction nears completion (CDN PHOTO/ EILEEN MANGUBAT)

WORK on the Pavilion for the 2016 International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) in Cebu City is nearing completion.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma today led the traditional topping off ceremony or the final pouring of concrete at the IEC Pavilion where 15,000 delegates from around the world will gather on January 24 to 31, 2016.

The Pavilion, envisioned to become Cebu City’s newest landmark, will be turned over by its contractor Duros Development Construction (DDC) to the archdiocese by October this year.

As of July 8, the whole construction progress is 82.50 percent complete. The Secretariat Building is 95 percent done, while the Plenary Hall is 69 percent finished.

“This is really a miracle,” said Archbishop Palma who earlier had apprehensions whether or not the Pavilion will be finished in time for the IEC.

“This Pavilion is borne out of love and faith. Despite plenty of concerns in the past, we took the courage to venture into this project. Yes it’s true. The Philippines may not be rich economically, but its people are rich in strong and lively faith,” he said.

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Palma celebrated a thanksgiving Mass inside the Pavilion this morning. With him were Archbishop Emeritus of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo, and some priests in the archdiocese.

Also present were workers and officers of DDC led by its owners, Fe and Rafaelito Barino; Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, and Cebu Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino who came to represent Gov. Hilario Davide III who was in Manila yesterday.

Tolentino vowed to extend whatever support the province can for the success of the IEC. Rama reiterated his plan to remove the center islands in front of the archdiocesan seminary where the Pavilion is located in an attempt to address traffic congestion in the area.

DDC estimated the cost of the Pavilion at P550 million. The cost of building  the pavilion is being fully shouldered by DDC.

Under an agreement with the Cebu Archdiocese, DDC pledged to donate the entire Pavilion. In exchange,  the local church will give DDC usufruct rights over  part of  the seminary property for  25 years.

Bishop-elect Villarojo, who is the IEC secretary-general, described the Pavilion a “house of God, built on faith.”

“There were times when I felt ashamed of myself. I doubted whether or not this structure will be completed on time,” said Villarojo who supervises the construction of the Pavilion and other preparations for the IEC.

But he believes God is at work in every preparation for the international gathering.

“If the Lord does not build the house, in vain we labor. In the same manner, if the Lord wants to build the house, in vain do its detractors labor,” Villarojo said.

“I believe the Lord wants to build this Pavilion because this will where change and conversion of many lives will take place. You can’t just imagine how the Holy Spirit will move the hearts of people. Truly, this is a house of God,” he said.