Work on the Pavilion at the Seminary Compound in Mabolo, Cebu City is nearing completion.
The three-level structure will be used for next year’s International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) to be attended by 15,000 delegates from all over the world.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma led the topping off ceremony or the final pouring of concrete yesterday at the IEC Pavilion where local and foreign delegates will gather on Jan. 24 to 31, 2016.
The Pavilion, which will be Cebu’s biggest convention facility, will be turned over by its contractor Duros Development Construction (DDC) to the Cebu Archdiocese in October this year.
As of July 8, construction is 82 percent complete.
The Secretariat Building is 95 percent done, while the Plenary Hall is 69 percent finished, said the contractor.
“This is really a miracle,” Palma said at a thanksgiving Mass in the third floor of the Pavilion yesterday morning.
“This Pavilion is born 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 a strong and lively faith,” he said.
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 representing Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III who was in Manila yesterday.
Tolentino said the province will extend their assistance while Rama said he will push through with removing the center islands in front of the archdiocesan seminary where the Pavilion is located to ease traffic congestion there.
Pastoral center
When Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI announced that Cebu City will be the venue for the forthcoming 51st IEC, Palma said he was anxious because the city had no facility for 15,000 delegates to gather.
Palma said they decided to build the Pavilion behind the archdiocesan seminary grounds in barangay Mabolo.
After the IEC is over, the Pavilion will be used as a pastoral center and a new minor seminary for the archdiocese.
It will also serve as the “biggest evacuation center” in Cebu island.
Shouldered
“This is a beautiful building. I thank God for giving the opportunity to see its construction. I hope this can withstand typhoons,” said Cardinal Vidal who was a first communicant when the 33rd IEC was held in Manila in 1937.
DDC estimated the total cost of the Pavilion at P550 million which is shouldered by the construction company.
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.
On Tuesday, Palma asked the public to help shoulder the publication expenses of the 51st International Eucharistic (IEC) Program and Pilgrim Guide and the IEC Post-Congress Commemorative book.
“The support we are giving to both books are symbols of the importance of the IEC to our Catholic community. The IEC is an event to show our deep multi-dimensional love for the Eucharist,” Palma said during yesterday’s book launching.
The books were unveiled in SM Northwing, carried by two children riding a trisikad, in the midst of 20 dancers clad in native Filipino costumes.
Fr. Joseph de Aquino, documentation head of IEC, said they prepared five sponsorship packages for companies, organizations and individuals.
Titanium sponsorship is up at P1 million, with a full-page in both IEC books, full advertisements and streamers all over the city, full page ad space in Cebu’s three major newspapers and airtime on all of IEC’s radio partners.
The lowest sponsorship rate is at P50,000, which covers the inclusion of the company’s name in all IEC publications and will be mentioned in all IEC evening cultural events.//With PIT Intern Marie Bianca I. Genosa and UP Cebu Intern Juli Ann M. Sibi