A PROJECT TO ENLIVEN DOWNTOWN CEBU CITY

Archdiocese of Cebu signs agreement with Cebu Landmasters Inc. to develop the 64-year-old Patria de Cebu, a former convent, youth recreational center and hostel

To serve as the centerpiece for the 500th celebration of Christianity in Cebu, the Patria de Cebu will be transformed into an integrated and shopping center, office and hotel structure with a Roman-inspired central plaza.

The Archdiocese of Cebu and Cebu Landmasters Inc., (CLI) signed an agreement on Monday, Oct. 29, to develop the 6,670-square-meter property with the promise of preserving and enhancing the cultural heritage of downtown Cebu.

The Patria de Cebu was built in 1954. It once served as a convent for nuns, a youth recreation center and a budget-friendly hostel for city visitors.

“This will enliven this part of the city. This is part of the revitalization effort of the city and also of the church, for as long as you will be able to preserve the heritage value that is so rich in this area,” CLI chief executive officer Jose Soberano III said.

CLI is investing about P1 billion for the development and the 40-year lease of the property.

“On the initial signing, there’s a P50-million advance rental. This is okay for Landmasters because this is also our way of extending help to the church. It’s a per square meter charge on a monthly basis that will escalate every two years, with a major escalation on the 10th for the rest of the 40 years,” Soberano explained. “It’s not too much on what we can get out of this financially, but it’s in the sense of pride.”

The structure will be demolished, Soberano said, but there will a landmark to establish the presence of the history that will be retained.

The project will include a department store, supermarket, a plaza and a hotel with two towers--one is six stories and the other will be 14 stories high.

He stressed that the establishments that will be available in the area will be family-oriented to complement the nearby religious and historical structures.

“There are certain restrictions. We cannot just have a beer house or girly joints that might be there. It has to be family-oriented and we will make sure that it will be upheld all throughout the 40 years,” he said.

The target completion of the plaza portion of the project is set on April or March 2021.

The Catholic Church will mark its Jubilee Year in 2021, the fifth centenary or 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines. History has it that Christianity was brought to the shores of Cebu in 1521.

“The idea eventually is the roadway in between the Cathedral and Patria may have to be sealed off and will be only for pedestrian use. So you can see a better accessibility from the area for the churchgoers to take advantage of the facilities there in Patria de Cebu,” he said.

Archbishop Jose Palma said the project will pave the way for a harmonious development around the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral and Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.

“There will be development that will bring about consistency of cultural heritage as well as preserving both the beauty, the ambiance, the religiosity and the culture of the church’s property,” Palma said.