MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur--Marawi is now capable of hosting sports activities and other events within its premises as it unveiled its newly built Sarimanok Sports Stadium and Convention Center Friday, May 20.
Amid the commemoration of the Marawi Week of Peace this year, Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) and the National Housing Authority (NHA) introduced the facilities which the city can foster for its hosting endeavors.
NHA General Manager Marcelino Escalada Jr. underscored that these projects of the Authority will serve as the legacy of those that have been part of the planning, coordination and implementation of the initiatives pursued under the rehabilitation program.
He added that as they put their hearts into their undertakings for the recovery of the city, they wanted to show that the NHA is more than efficient to do what was normal for them and that by their own expertise and performance, they visibly displayed how they could do a lot better for the citizens here.
“We will not leave Marawi behind. We will not leave Marawi as it was before but we will make sure with the words of the President himself that Marawi will rise again. Ang himuon sa National Housing Authority is ipadayon ang mga nasugdan nato nga projects [What the National Housing Authority will do is to continue the projects that we have started],” said Escalada.
The general manager stated that the most difficult part is not the construction but the maintenance and operations of the facilities, thus, the challenge upon the city government to manage and maintain the newly erected infrastructures.
Meanwhile, City Mayor Majul Gandamra conveyed his gratitude to the national government, saying that without the support and contributions, the city might not have been able to bounce back from the darkness of its past.
He stressed that while these projects brought benefits in terms of their potential to lead events, these also set the image of the locality and its citizenry being able to withstand the hurdles of time.
“Ang mga imprastraktura na ito ay hindi lamang magsisilbing pasilidad kung saan pwede tayong maghost ng malalaking sports o public event. Ito rin ay magiging simbolo ng Marawi at ang kanyang pagbangon muli sa pait ng kanyang kasaysayan. Ito ay magsisilbing simbolo ng ating katatagan bilang mga anak ng Marawi kung saan walang anumang suliranin ang hindi malalagpasan. At, ito ay magsisilbing simbolo ng ating pagkakaisa tungo sa isang mas maunlad, mapayapa at progresibong Marawi City,” said Gandamra.
[These infrastructures do not only serve as facilities where we can host big sports or public events. These will also symbolize Marawi and its rise from bitter history. These will serve as a symbol of our firmness as children of Marawi in which there is no problem that we cannot surpass.]
Although the Sarimanok Sports Stadium and the Convention Center were not finished during their soft opening, the NHA guaranteed that they would attain their completion in August this year. (CRG/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)
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