This Yuletide season, this city’s public plazas are lit up using both old and new decorations to spread the spirit of Christmas in the metropolis.
True to its tagline “Enlightening Lives, Empowering Progress”, the Global Business Power Corporation (GBPC) took the lead in decorating the plaza of the La Paz district, considered as the biggest among the city’s seven district plazas.
“GBPC will continue to give light and inspire to empower each and everyone and to believe that there are hope and success in every aspect of our lives,” said Myra Riza Montelijao, corporate communications officer of the GPBC in an interview Wednesday.
They chose the La Paz plaza because their office in Iloilo City is in Brgy. Ingore, part of the La Paz district.
Executive Order 141-1 A signed by Mayor Jerry Treñas on Oct. 16, 2020 tasked the GBPC to spearhead the beautification and decorations of the said plaza.
The firm was assisted by the district’s Association of Barangay Captains (ABC), Gaisano La Paz and Philippine National Police (PNP), and Brgy. Ingore.
Montelijao said they have no theme for the decorations. However, they made use of some of the decorations last year and added new ones such as candy canes, lanterns, hanging Christmas lights, Christmas balls, and giant Belen (Nativity scene), among others.
“We refurbished 100 pieces of parols (from) last year,” she said.
The parols were from the over 1,000 parols that were mounted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Iloilo in various thoroughfares in Christmas of 2019.
GBPC had it refurbished and changed their colors to yellow and white and were mounted on the fence surrounding the plaza.
She said to maximize the decorations and fully lit up the plaza, they placed a colorful holiday light tunnel in the corners and entrances of the plaza.
“Ilonggos are very resilient. Global Business Powers would like to give hope to Ilonggos that even this time of the pandemic, there is still hope and everything will end in time. In this trying time (we) need to remember that God is still there that it is just part of His trials,” she added.
On December 10, the city government held a caravan of parol and Christmas lights for the whole metro Iloilo where each district was visited by city officials. It was followed by a short program honoring the sponsors, including GBPC.
“You have gone out of your way to make Christmas during this time a little better for our townmates,” the mayor said in his message, adding that Iloilo City goes viral on social media because of the lights that were installed in plazas.
Amid the pandemic, the lights and lanterns gave Ilonggos a light feeling.
In a previous interview, City tourism officer Junel Ann Divinagracia said that decorations in the city manifest that there is always hope for a brighter future for Iloilo City.
“The reason why, amid this pandemic, our place is fully lit up. We need to be positive and make sure that we overcome all of this,” she said.
The decorations will be up on plazas and major streets until New Year, Divinagracia said.
Also helping in the beautification and decorations are the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce Iloilo led by Anthony Sy and Oscar Chua for the Plaza Libertad; Biscocho Haus by Gerry Guadarama and Marilou Celis for Jaro Plaza; Dr. Joel Abanilla and Cecile Gison for Punta Villa, Arevalo; Chona Layson and Layson Construction for Molo and Ivy Gurrea and F. Gurrea Construction for Mandurriao.
Meantime, Treñs added that the La Paz plaza will be renovated. Soon it will have a butterfly garden, detention, and koi ponds.
The koi pond will be in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
The budget for the renovation will be around PHP90 million.
La Paz plaza also has a football field, tennis court, and gymnasium. (PNA)
