(Photo courtesy of DPWH Eastern Visayas)
TACLOBAN CITY (PIA) – The state-of-the-art Benjamin Romualdez International Convention Center (BRICC) to be built inside the former Leyte Park complex is envisioned to become Tacloban’s architectural landmark, which pays a fitting tribute to Taclobanons affected by Supertyphoon Yolanda in 2013..
Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez led on Friday, February 7, the groundbreaking ceremony of this facility, named after his father, former Leyte Governor Benjamin “Kokoy” Romualdez, saying the soon-to-rise world-class structure will stand resilient to go against the strongest of winds befitting of a people who rose stronger after the strongest typhoon that devastated the city and the province more than 10 years ago.
“Our comeback from the Super Typhoon Yolanda demonstrates the innate fortitude and determination to rise over our setbacks wiser and stronger,” Romualdez said.
To be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways, the three-storey facility will be built on a P750-million budget and will be carried out in two phases over a three-year period. The DPWH has earlier named the BRICC as one of their high-impact projects.
With a P750 million budget to be undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Benjamin Romualdez International Convention Center (BRICC) is envisioned to become a space that showcases the cultural richness of Leyte and Tacloban City with 5,000-seat capacity suited for national and international conventions. (Photo courtesy of DPWH Eastern Visayas)
DPWH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Edgar Tabacon describes the facility’s modern design is inspired from the humble yet functional form of the “taklub,” a bamboo device used by fishers to catch fish, shrimp, and crabs, from which Tacloban derived its name, and is envisioned to be a world class venue to host regional, national, and international events representing an opportunity-rich and future-proof city of Tacloban.
“The design creates a dynamic and inviting space that will be open and accessible to all,” Tabacon said.
The structure would feature a large central plenary hall, flanked by auxiliary spaces, exhibition areas and meeting rooms all arranged around a central courtyard that integrates seamlessly with the public plaza. The plaza itself is designed to be an open and flexible space that invites people to interact and engage in a variety of ways and extends out to the main complex.
DPWH has been advised to maximize the capacity of the BRICC to 5,000 instead of its planned 2,200 capacity. This is to provide ample space to accommodate a large number of attendees of national and even international events including facilities that support a wide range of activities. (ACR/PIA Leyte)
