Thirty waiting sheds will soon be constructed to complement the green architectural design of Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue otherwise known as Diversion Road in Mandurriao district.
On Thursday, April 15, 2021, an official groundbreaking ceremony was held along the Diversion Road for the construction of the waiting sheds.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas together with other city officials and Megaworld Corporation Iloilo vice president for sales and marketing Jennifer Palmares-Fong led the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday.
According to the mayor, Ilonggo commuters who have no personal cars will benefit from the project as the waiting sheds will shelter the commuters amid the scorching heat and heavy rain.
“Benigno S. Aquino Ave. has become a face of progress for Iloilo City and, unfortunately, we have not yet established a shed for our commuters. Today, I am very thankful to Megaworld Corporation for providing 30 units of shelter in this place in the city as they play a big part for the Ilonggos,” he said.
City Architect Regie Gregorio said the Megaworld Corporation will begin the construction of the sheds by May.
Meanwhile, the city government will assist by providing the conceptual design initially made by Ilonggo architect Paulo Alcazaren.
To complement the city’s green and sustainable modern urban design, Gregorio said the waiting sheds will feature trellis design and ornamental plants.
Out of the 30 sheds, 16 will be established in the southbound area of the Diversion while the other 14 sheds will be constructed along the northbound area.
Treñas thanked the Megaworld Corporation and also acknowledged the company’s huge contribution to the city’s progress by providing investments and job opportunities for the Ilonggos.
“We are thankful for the support of Megaworld as they provided a lot of employment and opportunities for the Ilonggos and we have seen a lot of investments come into the city. I am also thankful for letting us use their area and computers for the COVID-19 vaccination pre-registration sites of the city,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Fong assured that the company will continue to support the city government in its vision towards a more progressive Iloilo City.
“We will continue to support the local government unit (LGU) as we have seen how the strong partnership between public and private sectors made Iloilo rise above the challenges as what we have seen now,” she said. (ERS)