Cebu City reopens 3 heritage sites

CEBU CITY-– The Cebu City Government has opened to the public three sites that form the city’s culture and heritage — the Plaza Independencia, the city museum, and the city public library.
Two years after it was demolished to make way for the construction of the Cebu South Coastal Road tunnel, the Plaza Independencia is open again for public use.
The city unveiled the plaza last week and held the ceremonial switch-on of the plaza’s lights.
 Cebu City Mayor Michal Rama, Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Lourdes Ong, special assistant to the President, Councilor Nida Cabrera and other city hall officials attending the ceremonies.
Cabrera, who is the chairman of the city council committee on parks and playgrounds, hopes the plaza will attract tourists to the city.
“I hope this will awaken the interest of foreign and local tourists and will encourage them to make the plaza their top destination and landmark in the city,” she said.
Last year, the city appropriated P40 million for the park’s beautification and rehabilitation after it was damaged during the construction of the subway portion of the south coastal road.
The renovations include the installation of new benches and lamp posts, the restoration of the fountain and the redesigning of the plaza’s walkway and landscape.
The city also inaugurated the Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Library and Museum, two years after it was closed for renovation.
Unlike before, the library is now well-lit and more spacious, and has new chairs and tables as well.
Despite the facelift, however, a problem still lingers in the corners and shelves of the 71-year-old library: the lack of books and limited reading materials for students, teachers, and researchers.
“The library really needs books and reading materials. Our books also need updating,” said city librarian Rosario Chua.
Aside from the lack of books, Chua also said the library needs more librarians to attend to the needs of the different library users and researchers.
Currently, Chua said, the library only has seven workers when it is supposed to have 20 plantilla workers.
Chua said she will ask the mayor to hire more workers for the city library.
Rama said it is “heartwarming” to see the library opened again to the public.
“This place will not embarrass us anymore” he said.
Rama also appealed to the Cebuanos to help the city in preserving its culture and history, saying, “a city without culture is like a city without a soul.”