New lights installed at Legazpi's streets, public spaces

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/999505
• Saturday, July 9, 2017

By Emmanuel P. Solis (PNA)

LEGAZPI CITY -- Tourists and local residents will now be able to enjoy more the beauty of Legazpi City during night time because of the newly installed lights on both sides of the stretch of Washington Drive going to the Airport Road and in Barangay Cruzada here.

Legazpi Mayor Noel E. Rosal, who, on Friday led the switch-on of the new lights, said the project will serve not only as protection for all the Legazpeneos and visitors but will also add to the beauty of the city.

“It will give more attraction to all the viewers and other visitors to the beauty of the Legazpi, especially during nighttime. It is also very important to all the motorists and other riders from other neighboring provinces and municipalities because if they see these well lighted roads while riding at night time, then they can easily see that they are approaching the city of fun and adventure," the mayor pointed out.

Aside from benefiting visitors and motorists, the residents are more secure during their nighttime activities as the streets will be free from any criminality, he added.

City Tourism Officer Agapita Parces, on the other hand, said having new light fixtures on the roads is very timely as they are preparing for the opening of the yearly Ibalong Festival in mid-August wherein a huge number of international and local tourists are expected to arrive to witness the different sporting events.

Based on the initial meeting, Pacres said the opening of the festival will be on August 11 with a holy mass at the Albay Cathedral to be followed by a parade of floats with the images of villains as well as monsters and the three heroes Handiong, Baltog and Bantong.

The parade that will be participated in by different stakeholders of the city will start in front of the City Hall going to the main thoroughfare of Rizal Street and to the front of Yashano Mall, Gaisano Mall, 101 Mall and LCC Ayala Mall, all located at the city’s central business district, and then end at the city’s southern boulevard in Barangay Dap-dap wherein the formal opening program will be held, she added.

Pacres said this year’s Ibalong Festival is expected to be witnessed by a big number of tourists considering the fact that the event will be considered as one of the grandest celebrations ever with different unique and exciting events.

The Ibalong Festival is a non-religious festivity in this city based on the Ibalong epic. It celebrates the epic story of Ibalong who was accompanied by three legendary heroes namely Handyong, Baltog and Bantong.

Meanwhile, Mayor Rosal said another lighting project of his administration is replacing the old solar lights on Rizal Street going to the city’s Central Business District with new imported lights from Korea.

The city chief executive noted that all the solar lights from Rizal Street will be transferred in front of the regional center at Barangay Rawis along the major highways going to the 1st district of the Province of Albay.