This after Cagayan de Oro City Second District Concgressman Rufus Rodriguez secured the release of additional P200 million for this year 2011. Photo below shows Cong. Rodriguez and some local officials posing with the scale model of the Convention Center. The P758-million convention center is due for completion in 2012. DPWH Regional Director Norma Gironella said they will prioritize the function rooms, water and electric systems of the convention with available funding of P385 million as well as the additional P200 million.
The convention center building, which will accommodate at least 7,700 people, will be an ideal place for international, national and trade exhibits, seminar and conventions. It will be operated and managed by the Philippine Tourism Authority. Based on the schedule, the facility would be usable by December this year.
Accordingly, the plan is to have a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) game as an inauguration activity. The convention center would be operated by the Department of Tourism (DOT) but Rodriguez said he would insist that barangay officials of Indahag and Macasandig should be given a hand in managing its day-to-day operations.
Meanwhile, Singson ordered DPWH here to start the expropriation proceeding for properties that would be used in the widening of the road leading to the convention center in Taguanao. Singson told Gironella that the road leading to the convention center should be at least be six lanes wide. Rodriguez welcomed Singson’s move, saying that this plan would ease traffic in the area once the convention center becomes operational.