Duros Land pours P3B to develop Cebu Archdiocese lot

A LOCAL property developer is investing P3 billion to develop a two-hectare lot owned by the Archdiocese of Cebu.
Lydwena Eco, Duros Land Project director, said the project, which was launched yesterday and called 23 Minore Park, is targeted to be completed by the middle of next year.

Eco said that the development, which will be built on the property where the St. John XXIII Seminary once stood, will feature a central park with a garden, an outdoor chapel and activity area as well as business and commercial spaces including a superstore and a hotel.

She said the IEC Pavilion, which was built for the 51st IEC, is included in the P3 billion project.

Eco said that the central park with a garden and the outdoor chapel is scheduled to be completed in November this year while the planned superstore is targeted to be done by the first quarter of next year.

As for the hotel, she said they still had no details about it but it is included in the plan for the property.

Eco said that 23 Minore Park aims to continue what was manifested during the 51st IEC held last January 24-31, which saw Cebuanos and pilgrims alike pour their hears and souls into making the historical event a memorable and personal experience.

Archbishop Jose Palma said yesterday that he was glad that Duros Land chose to retain the number “23” in naming the park as it would be very significant.

“I am very happy that the developers chose to retain 23 because if you could recall, this was where the John XXIII junior seminary stood before,” he said.

“John XXIII was a pope and now a saint. So we would like not only to retain the memory of the seminary but also honor one of the most recent saints — the very jolly fellow who influenced the world.”

Eco said that the fervor manifested during the 51st IEC motivated them to make 23 Minore Park.

She said in fact, they call the 23 Minore Park as the place where nature is greeted by history.

Palma said that the property is still owned by the Archdiocese of Cebu and that the Memorandum of Agreement entered into with the Duros Land only states that the developer has the right to use the property for 25 years, after which everything will be turned over back to the Archdiocese.