‘Help preserve beautification projects’

RNV Construction field supervisor Nilo Naval, right, assists Alvin Alibayan in replacing a bulb in one of the lampposts at the Froilan C. Tenorio Beach Road Pathway. The Marianas Visitors Authority is the project’s lead agency and it hopes to have a partial lighting ceremony soon. (Jon Perez)

The contractor’s lead manager for the Froilan C. Tenorio Beach Road Pathway re-lighting project is appealing to the community not to destroy or vandalize beautification and other improvement project being done by the government and non-profit groups.

The Marianas Visitors Authority is the lead agency for the pathway lighting project and tapped RNV Construction as the contractor for the project.

Project lead manager Jay Angulo said the entire community would benefit once they finish fixing the pathway lights. “This will give others the chance to run, jog, or walk at night. The people will no longer be afraid since the pathway will have lights.”

The pathway re-lighting project, however, is facing delay after robbers took about 1,300 feet of copper wire last month. RNV personnel, aside from discovering the missing wire, also found out that someone shattered a number of the new bulbs that they installed.

“I was really surprised that some people would steal something that you are using to improve areas or facilities on Saipan. People are doing these projects for everyone in the community and also for tourism purposes,” added Angulo.

Angulo added it was field supervisor Nilo Naval and two others who discovered the wires were stolen when they were about to begin work on May 28. They reported the incident to the police.

Angulo said their personnel finished working at 4:30pm then went back to the office that Friday, May 27. He suspects the robbery took place sometime between 12am and 4am when there are fewer cars passing Beach Road.

RNV Construction has already replaced all the missing wires then welded the boxes to prevent a similar incident in the future. The project has a one-year warranty and RNV would fix the problem if there are problems.

MVA managing director Chris Concepcion said despite the incident he is looking forward to a partial lighting of the pathway. “Yes, the copper wire theft will delay the overall lighting but we hope to have a partial lighting of the pathway very soon.”

Angulo said it’s a good thing that government agencies like the MVA and a number of organizations and businesses that are involved in various projects that would benefit the entire community.

The Saipan Mayor’s Office, aside from keeping the island clean, also began planting flowers in selected areas along the pathway.

The Rotary Club of Saipan, the local Lions Clubs, the United Filipino Organization, Coral Ocean Golf Resort, IT&E, McDonald’s, and Tan Holdings are some of the organizations and businesses that hold beautification projects around the island.