Cebu (CNN Philippines) — The construction of the IEC Pavilion which will serve as the main venue of the 2016 International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) in Cebu City next year is almost done.
Engineer Adonis Gabutin of Duros Development Corporation (DDC) said the IEC Pavilion is already 82.8 percent complete, 95 percent for the secretariat building and 69 percent for the plenary hall as of July 8.
He said the project, which sits on a 2.5-hectare lot inside the Seminario Mayor de San Carlos compound along Pope John Paul II Avenue in Barangay Mabolo will be finished on September 30.
Related: Cebu church leaders confirm Pope Francis to skip IEC in 2016
Archdiocese of Cebu and government officials, along with representatives from the private sector, did a topping off ceremony of the IEC Pavilion yesterday (July 15).
The ceremony is a tradition in property development that celebrates the last pouring of concrete of a structure.
Gabutin thanked couple Rafaelito and Fe Barino, owners of DDC, for their generosity after they agreed for the company to build the pavilion at no cost to the archdiocese.
Fe said they accepted the project without hesitation, and were justified in their conviction even if they had no sufficient resource when they started, because “God made everything possible.”
Cebu Archdiocese Jose Palma also said: “Cebu has indeed plenty of people of great faith bisan dunay mga katalagman.”
An estimated 15,000 delegates from all over the world are expected to join the IEC this coming January 24 to 31.
The country last hosted IEC in 1937 in Manila. Over 600,000 people were believed to have attended the religious procession that culminated the congress.
Rafaelito said the pavilion, which occupies a total area of 25,754 square meters, including the secretariat office and the main plenary hall that can accommodate at least 12,000, costs over P500 billion.
