CEBU CITY, March 1 (PNA) — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has lauded local businessmen who helped revitalize trade and commerce on Colon Street, the Philippines’ oldest street, and other areas in the city’s downtown area.
Among the businessmen commended by Rama were Jose “Dodong” Gullas, chairman of The Freeman newspaper and executive vice president of the University of the Visayas; Valeriano “Bobit” Avila, whose family owns a chain of movie houses; and the Gaisanos, whose chain of stores in the city’s downtown area is making Colon a place of trade and commerce.
Rama also thanked lawyer Augusto W. Go, owner of the University of Cebu (UC); Aboitiz Group, which operates City Savings Bank; the Lhuillier clan and the rest of the businessmen who invested millions of pesos along the oldest street in the country.
Rama said the local businessmen played a vital role in the city’s revitalization program and bringing back the old and historic Colon.
“My deep appreciation to the Avilas, Gullas, Go, Gaisano, Aboitiz, Lhuillier and other entrepreneurs that never lost their trust to Colon,” Rama said.
Rama said he was happy to see the revitalization in the downtown areas and the restoration of the “glorious, classical and magnificent downtown color.”
Rama initiated the downtown revitalization program, which aims to light up the whole stretch of Colon, maintain peace and order, promote clean and green program, improve the traffic flow, regulate the vendors and boost business in the area.
He said he wants to restore and bring back what was Colon before as the city’s major trading hub and the center of commerce and industry. (PNA)