By Felipe V. Celino
ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Capiz province will be constructing a 5,000-seat convention center this year.
Gov. Esteban Evan “Nonoy” Contreras told reporters here on Jan 4, 2021 that the lot for the proposed convention center was donated by the family of Jose Neri “Bubbles” Ong of Pueblo de Panay.
The proposed location is a two-hectare lot and the budget is close to Php1-billion provided by the national government.
The provincial government will provide counterpart funding to realize the convention center which is seen to be bigger than the Iloilo Convention Center.
The proposed convention center was designed by the United Architects of the Philippines-Capiz Chapter. It will also be utilized as an evacuation center of the province in times of calamities and emergencies.
Earlier last year, Capiz First District Board Member Jonathan Sonny Besa stressed that the provincial board is not opposing the proposed project of the governor.
He said that the provincial board has found a solution to tap the Department of Tourism (DOT) for the possible funding of the project.
Meanwhile, the governor assured that the five-storey Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital in Brgy. Lanot here will be finished this year as the national government has pledged to allocate funds for the completion.
The unfinished building was started during the time of former Governor Victor Tanco Sr. to decongest the over-crowded provincial hospital located on Arnaldo Boulevard here.
