Rehabilitated Municipal Hall, a New Center for Education and Enterprise
Committed in restoring the prestige of an edifice that was once renowned as the center of local governance in the crown city of the south, the local government headed by City Mayor Atty. Eliordo U. Ogena, along with the city councilors, department heads and government employees led the formal Blessing and Turnover Ceremony of the newly rehabilitated Multi-purpose Hall commonly known as the Old Municipal Hall building. This structure will now serve as the home for Koronadal City Library, Pasalubong Center, Koronadal Investment and Promotion Center and the proposed museum.
The Ogena administration’s 10-Point Development Agenda includes the rehabilitation and beautification of the old city hall building. With the goal of transforming the old and partially burned structure into a beautifully furnished two-story Multi-purpose Hall, reconstruction began on July 28, 2023, under the supervision of the Special Projects Division, which is part of the City Mayor’s Office. The contractor, Engineer. Annabelle N. Danque was able to meet all of the demands with only a ten-million-peso budget, and the building’s rehabilitation was completed in just five months, on December 9, 2023.
The blessing and turnover ceremony took place on the 22nd of January 2024. In his opening message, City Administrator Atty. Rene B. Jumilla who also happened to serve as the former city vice mayor and city councilor, reminisced about his experience in the old city hall building where he used to have office and attend regular session.
City Mayor Atty. Eliordo U. Ogena in his speech during the ceremony also took the opportunity to dwell on his experience in the Municipal Hall back in the early years of his career. “Never occurred to me that I would be an instrument in restoring this building”, he said.
Mayor Ogena also emphasized the importance of restoring an Old Municipal Hall and the big role it will play in serving as a platform of education and enterprise in the city. The official stressed on the importance of putting up a modern and technology-based library that will provide both historical and modern learnings to students. “I give importance to putting up a library because I want, if our people are not yet, does not have yet that culture, the culture of loving good books dapat umpisahan natin yan.” Says Mayor Ogena. The official also promised to see to it that the building including its vicinity will be developed. “We will see to it na talagang magiging elegante ang dating dito.” Mayor Ogena added.
Aside from putting up a modern library, one of the trademarks that is about to sprout in the multi-purpose hall is the creation of the Pasalubong Center. To be managed by the Investment and Promotions Division, the Pasalubong Center aims to promote local small-time businesses by giving them area to display their products at the heart of the city. This way small-time businesses including the products crafted by Person’s Deprived of Liberty from the jail facilities will also gain more promotion and profit in the near future.
To sum up, the City Government of Koronadal is currently planning on putting up a museum to be placed also in the multi-purpose hall. Mayor Ogena gave emphasis on the importance of preserving the culture and history of the city of Koronadal through a museum that will serve as a sanctuary of the artifacts and historical figures that signifies the cultural heritage of Koronadal. The presence of the museum in the center of the city will allow travelers, balikbayans and the townsmen to be familiar with the history, culture, and traditions of the city and its people.