MANILA -- The Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) received on Thursday financial support from the Metrobank Group to support its various civic projects around the country.
Metrobank Group Chairman Arthur Ty turned over PHP4 million to FFCCII President Domingo Yap supporting two major projects of the Filipino-Chinese business community.
Some PHP2 million will go to the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Dome in Marawi City, a 4,000-seat civic, cultural, and sports facility.
Yap said the FFCCII is donating this PHP200-million project in Marawi City to promote culture and athletics, as well as facilitate commerce in the war-torn area.
He added that the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Dome is the largest single donation given by the Filipino-Chinese community in the country.
“The Filipino-Chinese donor organization also believes social value can be reinforced among youth, and to keep them preoccupied in sports, instead of joining military group who engage in illegal drugs,” he said.
The FFCCCII emphasized that this project is led by the private sector. The local government unit in Marawi City, however, provided a two-hectare piece of land for the facility.
However, while the business group has completed all the financial requirements to get the project going, the construction cannot take off because no contractors want to take part in the project out of security concerns, Yap added.
He said contractors are not yet confident that their safety can be guaranteed while working in Marawi. He said the government should double efforts to ensure that hostile elements do not scare off potential investors to the recovering city.
Meanwhile, the Metrobank Group also provided another PHP2 million to FFCCCII for its Operation Barrio Schools.
Under this program, FFCCCII builds classrooms in rural areas across the country to give youth in far-flung areas access to basic education.
“This is a continuation of that partnership, long-standing partnership of helping uplift the educational system of the country,” Metrobank Foundation President Ancieto Sobrepeña said.
To date, FFCCII’s Operation Barrio Schools has built 5,602 classrooms nationwide. (PNA)
