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Emon Lodge rebuilds As Lito bus shelter
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres shares a laugh with Board of Education chair Janice Tenorio after the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new bus shelter that was rebuilt by the Emon Masonic Lodge No. 179. (Erwin Encinares)
The Emon Masonic Lodge No. 179 cut the ribbon yesterday to officially introduce a new cement bus stop in the As Lito area near Dandan.
The event also signified the Emon Masonic Lodge No. 179’s adoption of the former wood and tin bus stop along the As Lito Road near Dandan, renovating it into a sturdier concrete bus stop.
“I was able to discuss with Rep. Roman C. Benavente (R-Saipan) our plans to renovate the bus stop,” said Bong Malasarte in an interview with Saipan Tribune yesterday. “I told him we had to raise some funds first.”
It did not take the group too long to renovate the bus stop since the organization, according to Malasarte, moved some funds around to prioritize the project.
He added that other projects that the Emon Masonic Lodge No. 179 is pursuing is the Koblerville Gymnasium repairs. That has been halted, however, since Super Typhoon Yutu struck Saipan and Tinian in late October 2018.
“We will restart renovation this Sunday,” he said.
The donation to repair the bus stop, according to Malasarte, was all donated by members of the Emon Masonic Lodge No. 179.
“Each and every brother contributed funds to repair the bus stop,” he noted, adding that it took the organization about $10,000 to fully renovate the bus stop, which was completely destroyed by Super Typhoon Yutu. “Only the flooring was left, so it was like a construction project; the bus stop is totally new,” he said.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, along with Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang, Board of Education chair Janice Tenorio, and Public School System associate commissioner for curriculum and instructional services Jackie Quitugua attended the ribbon cutting.
“On behalf of the people of the CNMI, the parents, and the students, we thank you for your contribution and partnership, especially for this bus stop,” Torres said.
“I thank the Emon Masonic Lodge No. 179 for this bus shelter you have built,” Apatang said. “Thank you for your leadership and the organization for an outstanding job on the shelter.”
“I am sure PSS students would be happy,” he added.
