LOCALS living in southern Cebu and their visitors will now have more reason to stay there.
This as the City of Naga unveiled three new attractions including a public park named ‘Pasilong sa Naga’ designed by world-class Cebuano designer Kenneth Cobonpue.
Aside from Pasilong, the two other attractions unveiled by the City were Museo Naga and the newly-renovated St. Francis de Assisi Community Stage.
The three attractions were formally inaugurated on Thursday night, Oct. 7, 2021.
The Pasilong sa Naga was first conceived in 2018 during the first term of City of Naga Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong.
The Pasilong, which is built on top of what used to be the old Naga municipal public park was conceptualized by the City to address the need for more open spaces.
It is now twice the size of the old park.
To design the park, Chiong hired Cobonpue, who admitted that it was his first time to design a park for a local government unit.
Cobonpue told those present during the inauguration that Pasilong’s design is made of interlocking rings that represent circles of life, which is nature’s way of taking and giving back to the earth.
The rings vary in scale and turn into winding paths, elevated walkways, fountains, benches and rest areas around the park, Cobonpue added.
An earlier report placed the project cost of Pasilong at more than P10 million.
Aside from Pasilong, city officials unveiled Museo Naga, the city’s own public museum.
Situated on the second floor of the old Naga Municipal Hall, the Museo is Chiong’s special project and serves as a hub where locals and tourists can learn of the city’s history, heritage and environment.
Chiong said Museo is also a repository of local knowledge and artifacts.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, museum administrators have decided to only allow visitors by appointment.
The City also inaugurated its newly-renovated St. Francis Community Stage, which has been the site of many activities in the city.
Present during the inauguration were Chiong, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 director
Shalimar Tamano, Lesandro Maraon of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV), and the mayors of the First District of Cebu.