EMERALD GROTTO

Nag-kakapirang beses kada aldow, nag-lalabos ako sa atubangan kana Grotto, everytime, diri ko mapugolan ana sadiri ko na mag-hinayang ta nauda na su dating gayon ko kanatung City landmark. Dati kaya pag nag-istambay ika sadto City Park, mabayod mo su kagayunan ko Grotto from the first steps of the stairway up to the top... La bagang gayon na mabayad mo su Grotto with its criss-crossing stairway, very picturesque. But now, it's sad to say that our City landmark has to give way to what some people say "signs of Progress".

Para sa diri pa nakaka-isi, agko na pinag-tugrok na Convention Hall infront of the Grotto and if your passing by the only part that you can see from the highway is about 1/4 of the stairway (from the top) and the grotto itself. Sure one can argue that the grotto together with Hotel Ibalon and Emerald Shopping Complex (former names, I don't know their new names now), are a private property now owned by Atty. Ortega. According to some people, since it's a private property, Atty. Ortega can do whatever he want to the property. I do applaud Atty. Ortega for investing his precious money para mapagayon pa lalo ana Iriga and show that Iriga is now a progressive city. Kaya lang, I wish, he didn't built the convention hall infront of the Grotto. It's one if not the ONLY landmark of Iriga City. It is sad that the Grotto has to give way for the sake of Progress...........