The Church of the Divine Mercy is nearing completion. By December 2011, it will have its roofing placed on its top and the finishing touches will be done by March 2012.

The pews will be placed therein and a first class sound system will be installed. – according to Atty. Gerry Adaza as stated in his column HERE.

The Recto-Velez flyover was finally inaugurated this morning.

City officials led by City Mayor Vicente Emano led the simple ceremonial drive through atop the flyover amid heavy traffic during rush hour. There was initially heavy traffic at the start but slowly eased up as time went by as more vehicles began using the flyover. As observed, new traffic lights were installed right at the side of the flyover

The rendering of the 10-storey Tune Hotel is finally out. The hotel will rise soon along CM Recto Avenue at the former fuel refilling station beside the old Coca-Cola Bottling Plant.

Per info, it will have 162 rooms with a gross floor area of 4,452 sq.m. with a 275 sq.m. retail component at the ground floor. As shown below, target opening will be in October 2012.

The entry of Tune Hotel is the second foreign-owned hotel investment in Cagayan de Oro, the first being the Korean-owned Hotel Koresco.

Cebu-based Ocean Fast Ferries, Inc. or OceanJet is now serving the direct Cagayan de Oro-Camiguin route and vice-versa.

READ MORE HERE.

At least five sites in Northern Mindanao had passed the technical requirements for the Solar Powered Agri-Rural Communities (SPARC) Program.


READ MORE HERE.

The Philippines and the Republic of Korea (ROK) signed today a loan arrangement for the Laguindingan Airport Air-Navigation System and Support Facilities Supply Project in ceremonies held at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Signing for both countries were Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario (right) and ROK Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Hye-min (left). The event was witnessed by officials from the DFA, the Department of Transportation and Communications and the ROK Embassy.


READ MORE HERE.

Ayala Land Inc. is reportedly adopting an Aerotropolis concept for the development around Laguindingan Airport.

Wikipedia defines an Aerotropolis as an urban form whose layout, infrastructure, and economy is centered on an airport, offering its businesses speedy connectivity to suppliers, customers, and enterprise partners worldwide.

Construction of the 195-meter Puerto flyover is well on target of their August completion based on the pictures gathered today.

The Bugo approach of the flyover has been completed and the contractor is now working on the flyover connection and Puerto approach. As shown, they are now in the process of installing another bridge component. They have also started installing the steel railings. Traffic is still slow but moving.

Once completed, this will be the city’s first and by yearend, there will be three with the other flyover projects now underway with approximate completion targets of September – October.

Sterling Bank of Asia, a savings bank established in March 2007 by successful businessmen and entrepreneurs, and Philippine Rural Banking Corp. (PR Bank), an Isabela-based bank has opened their respective branches in Cagayan de Oro City.

Sterling Bank of Asia inaugurated their branch yesterday located at the ground floor of VIP Hotel at the corner of Don Apolinar Velez and JR Borja Streets while PR Bank opened their branch located at the ground floor of Royale Business Club Building at the corner of T. Chavez and Velez Street.

Sterling Bank of Asia is principally owned by the JTKC Group of Companies, Surewell Equities, and Star Equities. JTKC Group of Companies and Star Equities are involved in a wide range of industries, ranging from logistics to finance, real estate, manufacturing, hotel and resort properties. Some of these companies include I-Remit Inc., TKC Steel Corp., Discovery Leisure Company (Discovery Suites, Discovery Country Suites-Tagaytay and Discovery Shores-Boracay), The Mansion Group (Amorsolo Mansion, Gilarmi Apartments, Mabini Mansion, Boulevard Mansion), JTKC Land, Discovery Primea, and Kent Vinyl Tiles. Surewell Equities, on the other hand, is a holding company engaged in various interests, among which are, Confed Properties, Inc., I-Remit Inc., Flexi-Woods, Inc., Banwood Construction Center and Six Alps Corp.

On the other hand, PR Bank began in the 1977 in the small town of Naguilian, Isabela. Small and struggling, yet committed, determined, aggressive and hardworking, the rural bank has grown to be the biggest rural bank in Region 2 and one of the largest in the Philippines. The rural bank transformed from a single branch to a 22-branch operation (and still counting), and reaping honors and commendations that are of national prestige and prominence, and metamorphosing from a very traditional banking to electronic banking.

The two banks are just the latest of many new financial institutions which have opened in Cagayan de Oro City, just a proof of their trust and confidence in doing their business in this part of country.

The City Government of Cagayan de Oro is set to have the ground breaking of the two (2) flyover projects in the city namely, Carmen Flyover and Recto-Velez Flyover on June 15 in time for the city’s Charter Day celebration.

As shown in the perspectives of the said flyovers, the Carmen Flyover will rise specifically at the intersection of Masterson Avenue, Macanhan Road and Zayas Street with both uptown-bound and vice-versa taking the flyover.

Meanwhile, the Recto-Velez Flyover or simply the Licoan Flyover will rise at the city’s busiest intersection along the National Highway (CM Recto Ave.).

Expect more traffic in the area when these two infrastructure gets underway in the coming weeks. Construction accordingly will take 3 months the most which means it will be completed beyond the city’s fiesta on August 28th.