The formal turnover of the seven-storey Pope John Paul II Memorial Tower On February 18 will be just as spectacular and memorable as the pastoral visit here on February 21, 1981, of the late Pope John Paul II.

No, not the number of those in attendance, but in terms of the pomp and pageantry that will mark the turnover of the project to diocesan authorities, lead by Bacolod Bishop Vicente M. Navarra, by BREDCO’s top honcho, Lawyer Simplicio A. Palanca.

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The idea of a tower to commemorate the Pope’s pastoral visit here in 1981, started when Palanca, accompanied by Fr. Felix Pasquin, rector of the San Sebastian Cathedral, inspected the memorial to the occasion. Palanca remembered having put up the marker beside the Manokan Country. It was not found in the area anymore.

But, Palanca nursed the idea of commemorating that historic visit with something more than just an ordinary marker.

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Initially, the compound housing the seven-storey tower measured only about 200 square meters. After sometime, Palanca expanded it to more than 300 square meters. Later, Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) agreed to donate an additional 150 square meters. This was followed with the purchase by Palanca of an additional 100 square meters which converted the compound to more than 700 square meters.

That was how Palanca planned and envisioned a structure, to remind Bacolodnons and Negrenses of the Pope’s 1981 pastoral visit.

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The tower will have a glass-encased elevator. To obviate the possibility of stoppage should there be a brownout, Palanca also brought an emergency generator which will be housed near the tower.

The glass-encased elevator will be tested this week, it was pointed out.

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A bigger-than-life figure of Pope John Paul II will be unveiled and consecrated before the blessing of the tower.

For most, perhaps, what is going to attract their attention is the fact that three Archbishops of Western Visayas, several otherBishops like Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias and Bishop Camilo Gregorio of Batanes, will attend the turnover rites on February 18, 2010.*