ILOILO City – The name “Freedom Grandstand” has historical value and such should be used as the name of the new grandstand on Muelle Loney Street where Dinagyang Festival tribes would be performing, according to Councilor Joshua Alim.
The old Freedom Grandstand on JM Basa Street was demolished last year to give way to the revival of Sunburst Park.
“We have agreed sa City Council sang gina-plan nga i-demolish ang old Freedom Grandstand nga dapat i-retain ang name for the new grandstand. The name has historical value. Isa ina sa mga kondisyones,” said Alim.
The old Iloilo Freedom Grandstand was a memorial to the Iloilo City Freedom Law or Republic Act 1209 that the late senator, congressman and mayor Rodolfo “ Roding” Ganzon authored in 1955 empowering the people of Iloilo City to elect their own leaders. Prior to the law’s enactment, officials of Iloilo City were appointed by the President.
“I might be proposing an ordinance naming the new grandstand the Freedom Grandstand. We are going to do something about this. Legally, it is the legislative body that has the power to name it,” said Alim.
During the new grandstand’s inauguration on Jan. 11, Mayor Jose Espinosa III announced it would be temporarily called “Iloilo City Dinagyang Grandstand.” He acknowledged that the power to name it is vested on the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), citing the Local Government Code.
The temporary name, said Espinosa, aimed to focus public attention to the Dinagyang Festival the highlights of which would be staged at the new grandstand (Kasadyahan cultural contest on Jan. 26 and ati-ati tribes competition on Jan. 27).
According to Espinosa, every proposal for the new grandstand’s name would be considered.
“I’m open to suggestions. I will not impose my own preference,” he said.
But he stressed that the new grandstand’s name “should have relevance” and “something that reflects the history of Iloilo City.”/PN
