AS part of the ongoing Divisoria Redevelopment phase of Project Lunhaw, Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando Uy said the new Operation Kahusay Og Kalinaw (OKK) center will serve as haven for those who need City Hall’s services.
“We lowered the OKK center (site) so the elderly and the young can easily access the facility…we will add more (as the OKK center) is part of Phase 4 of the Divisoria Redevelopment,” Mayor Uy said in Visayan in his message during today’s blessing of the OKK center at Magsaysay Park in Divisoria.
Uy referred to the Divisoria Redevelopment phase of Project Lunhaw, an urban design partnership project between City Hall and the United Nations (UN)-Habitat’s Building Climate Resiliency Through Urban Plans and Designs (BCRUPD).
In his message, Project Lunhaw consultant Patrick Gabutina said the OKK center is part of the changes to be made in Divisoria.
“Even if a place is safe, we should make it visibly safe…that’s why the OKK center is built so that people can have some place to run to when they need assistance,” Gabutina said.
Mayor Uy said closed circuit TV (CCTV) cameras will be installed while piped-in music will be set up to entertain visitors to the OKK center and Divisoria area.
Both Mayor Uy and Gabutina also made reference to the cutting of some aging mahogany trees.
“I’m apologizing to those who criticized my decision to cut down some mahogany trees…but even you saw how those trees posed a danger to the safety of people and their vehicles,” Uy said in Visayan.
Mayor Uy also said he consulted with the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) which then sought permission from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to cut down the aging mahogany trees.
Both Uy and Gabutina confirmed that they will plant trees endemic to the city to replace those that were cut down.
Aside from Police Precinct 1 of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, the new OKK center will also house personnel of the Roads and Traffic Administration, the City Social Welfare and Development Office, the Bureau of Fire Protection Cagayan de Oro station and the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Department.
Mayor Uy also confirmed that the Office of Civil Defense (OCD-10) regional office will also provide training to them in disaster preparedness.
“I’m calling on all City Hall department managers to join the training so that all of us can better serve the public during emergency situations and in times of calamities.” (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)
