NEW FACE OF PC HILL
COTABATO CITY --- There is another reason for Cotabateños to rejoice, most especially that the PC Hill is set to become a colourful hillside tourist attraction with the implementation of the revitalization project called "Shine Kutang Bato."
A ground breaking ceremony was held last January 26 at the foot of the hill along Sinsuat Avenue led by City Administrator Dr. Danda Juanday alongside local officials and partners.
The city government of Cotabato has initially crafted the project and was later on approved and funded by the Department of Tourism-12 under the Bottom-Up Budget.
The Cotabato City Tourism Promotion Board ( TPB) will serve as the civil society organizations' promotion partner of the project.
Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi said the Pedro Colina Hill has been the major landmark of Cotabato City since time immemorial.
"It has played a vital role in the history of our ancestors and it is where our city has gotten its name. This is why it is very important for us to give this landmark a new face and make it as glorious as it was before," Mayor Guiani- Sayadi said.
Under this project, about 100 houses at PC Hill will be painted with the bright and lively colours of the rainbow with a touch of painted accents such as crabs, gongs, and the guinakit the symbols of Cotabato City.
"I am giving my full support to this project because I know that aside from making the PC Hill a wonderful tourist attraction once the project is finished, it will also liven up the spirits of my fellow Cotabateños to see this landmark full of life once again," the mayor added.
Nelly Nita Dillera, former regional director of DOT-12, said the project which was approved during her administration, that Cotabato City is considered as the first ASEAN City and has its own right to entice tourists to come and experience its very own cultural endowments.
"Rich culture, traditional food, arts and crafts, historical places are just among the few to enjoy in the area," Dillera said.
Dillera said that with the purpose of enticing people to come, the DOT-12 in collaboration with the city officials, barangay officials, and residents of the historical PC Hill came up with a project that is aimed at developing pride of the place among the people and ultimately gain confidence from the travelling public to come.
"As a historical place, PC Hill will serve as a welcome gestures aside from transforming a mountain of houses which is an eye sore, to an iconic that exudes the friendliness and vibrancy of the city," Dillera said.
Saida Pagayao, who was the representative of the DOT-12 during the ground-breaking ceremony, said that the project also aims to inculcate ownership and pride of the place.
"This is a good way to rekindle the innate sense of Filipino values of Bayanihan," Pagayao said.
Bai Sandra Siang, TPB chair, said that the tourism board fully supports the revitalization project.
"We will definitely help in the promotion and hopefully this is only the beginning. Who knows, there might be succeeding phases that we can paint all the houses here for tourism purposes," Siang said.
Peter Morales, Rosary Heights 1 (PC Hill) barangay chairman, said the project is a big boost to the tourism potentials of the barangay.
"We are so glad that we finally got this revitalization painting project. Even this early, many local residents are already anticipating on the positive outcome of the project. We have the full support of our residents here," Morales said.
Marina Lao, a long-time resident of RH 1, has expressed her excitement on the implementation of the Shine Kutang Bato project.
"'Need I say more? Like everybody else here, I ammore than excited with the project. We hope that soon, all houses here would be covered with colourful paints," Lao said.
\Christopher Anthony D. Coraza, Rosary Heights 2 barangay chairman, has expressed his optimism on the project.
"Since the viewing deck of the project would be placed in our barangay once the project is finish, for sure it would also benefit our barangay. The realization of this project is sure to boost the image of the city outside Cotabato," Coraza said.
The project is being implemented by Arki powerline Construction and Services and is set to be finished after 40 working days. The painting organization partner is Selected Local Artists of Cotabato City.