GCEA’s PPP partners show strong sense of community

Government leaders, residents, and volunteers from Rota, Tinian, and Saipan pose for a photo after completing the painting job at the Rota Basketball Court in Sinapalo last Saturday. (Governor’s Council Of Economic Advisers)

The Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers and its partners showcased the strong sense of community in The Marianas at the kickoff of its first-anniversary celebration on Rota over the weekend with a Public Private Partnership transformation event to commemorate the milestone. The PPP campaign is a Marianas destination transformation initiative of the GCEA.

The Office of House Minority from the CNMI House of Representatives and members of the CNMI Senate, their staff, and family members traveled to Rota and joined Rota Mayor Efraim Atalig and the host island’s residents in transforming the Sinapalo Youth Center and Basketball Court. The two sites are among the 15 village facilities that the House minority bloc has adopted in support of the PPP campaign.

“We would like to thank the GCEA for celebrating its first anniversary here on Rota and for bringing the PPP program to our island. It’s been a while since we had a celebration on Rota and welcomed visitors from Tinian and Saipan due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Somehow, this pandemic brought us back together and made us closer as we work together to make The Marianas a better place for each other and our future visitors,” Atalig said.

Atalig and Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, who co-chairs the GCEA with TanHoldings chief executive officer Jerry Tan, were joined by other GCEA officials and members, lawmakers, and volunteers in celebrating the council’s first anniversary with a commemorative PPP project at the Sinapalo facilities last May 21 and 22. The basketball court’s surface, bleachers, and posts were cleaned and repainted, while the youth center received a facelift that was highlighted by a mural and artwork on the exterior of the building.

The Rota Youth Center has been spruced up with a mural to mark the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers’ first anniversary celebration on the island with a transformation project of key facilities in The Marianas. (Governor’s Council Of Economic Advisers)

Saipan youth senator Easton Dela Cruz managed the prep work for the mural and encouraged his fellow youth to step up and help the community on all three islands. Abriette Manglona, also a youth senator representing Rota, said the PPP project binds all The Marianas leaders to work together to provide better opportunities for residents, especially the youth, to greatly benefit from these transformations.

Sinapalo resident Mildred Sikebert said that Rota’s limited resources make it more challenging to have similar projects like Saipan, but with the PPP and the support the campaign is receiving from both the public and private sectors across The Marianas, she is positive that Rota will see more transformations of destination sites and village facilities.

Torres, meanwhile, called on Rota residents to take care of the facilities that have been transformed and thanked all PPP partners who have been instrumental in the success of the campaign.

“The PPP projects will give us a competitive edge when we welcome tourists back and rebuild our economy. Ultimately, these projects with GCEA’s other initiatives are aimed at giving a better quality of life for all who call The Marianas home. There’s more work to be done to achieve this, but together, we can,” Torres said.

While on Rota, GCEA signed a memorandum of agreement with five PPP partners. The Commonwealth Ports Authority-Rota, Filipino Community of Rota, Hotel Valentino, Rota Merchandising and DK Brothers, and the Rota Mayor’s Office signed five-year MOUs for the repair and maintenance work at the Melchor Mendiola Leadership Park, Benita Manglona Buildings, and Airport Road. The partners will also continue the work on the Sinapalo project. (PR)