THE City Government is set to rename the Cagayan de Oro Convention Center to Pablo "Ambing" Magtajas Convention Center, a former mayor of the city.
Former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. urged the incoming 19th City Council to give credit to the late mayor who served as city mayor from 1984 to 1998.
"Magtajas is a low key mayor who did much for Cagayan de Oro and it is high time to give him credit for his service to Kagayanons," he said.
For the first time in almost 20 years, the City Government and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) opened the Cagayan de Oro Convention Center in Barangay Indahag to the public eye for a site visitation last Sunday, June 30.
Still 56 percent complete, the convention center was visited by the DPWH-Northern Mindanao personnel to allow Pimentel to see the development.
The convention center is Pimentel's pet project when he was then a senator.
Mayor Oscar Moreno said the reason why the convention center was opened -- at least, briefly -- was due to Pimentel's request.
"Hangyo lang, human ikaw modaog, kita nalang mag-inaugurate sa convention center, city nalang, never mind the other agencies. Declaring whatever part of the center is now available, mao ra gahulatan pa nila wala na ako dinhi sa kalibotan, ayha pa mag inaugurate," Moreno said, quoting a text message from Pimentel.
Pimentel for his part, thanked the officials for answering his calls, and proposed that the convention center be named after the late mayor Magtajas.
Magtajas owns the five-hectare land where the convention center stands.
DPWH project engineer Leowald Pecore pointed out that the construction started in 2001 but it was stalled in 2012 over land acquisition issues. It was only resolved in 2016.
So far, the government has released over P984 million for the project.
The convention center has complete facilities that can hold events such as sports, concerts, conventions, exhibits, seminars, conferences, trade shows, among others.
The building complex can accommodate up to 7,700 people. Its components include the main building, carpark building, restaurant, administration building, among others. When finished, it will be managed by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.