Annual investment program: P386M projects pushed for 2016

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Development Council has endorsed to the City Council P386 million worth of developmental projects to be included in the annual investment program for calendar year 2016.

The exact amount, P386,110,766, will be charged against the local development fund, which is 20 percent of the city’s P1.5 billion Internal Revenue Allotment.

The P386 million is broken down to social development projects worth P164 million, economic development projects worth P139.4 million, and environmental projects worth P82.5 million.

Former city councilor Jose Daluz, the authorized representative of Mayor Michael Rama for CCDC, is the one who endorsed the list of development projects to the City Council.

During its September 23 regular session, the City Council referred the matter to its Committee on Budget and Finance for its perusal and recommendation.

The social development projects include the construction or rehabilitation of health centers, rural health units or hospitals and purchase of medical equipment for different barangays in the city worth P35.8 million; construction or rehabilitation of local government-owned potable water supply worth P5.67 million to barangays Binaliw, Budlaan, and Kalunasan; establishment of a manpower development center worth P3 million to Barangay Ermita; and the construction of evacuation centers for barangays Basak-Pardo, Day-as, Ermita, Adlaon, Pari-an, Pit-os, Sudlon 1, Tabunan and Taptap.

It also includes P82.75 million worth of the construction or rehabilitation of facilities for out-of-school youths, women, displaced families, indigenous people, and differently-abled persons in barangays Apas, Basak-San Nicolas, Bonbon, Budlaan, Busay, Cogon-Ramos, Duljo-Fatima, Guba, Kalunasan, Kamagayan, Labangon, Barrio Luz, Malubog, Pamutan, Pasil, Pung-ol Sibugay, Sambag 1, San Roque, Suba, T. Padilla, Tagbao and Zapatera.

Also included are the installation of street lighting system worth P2.8 million for barangays Carreta, Luz, Tabunan and Tisa and the rehabilitation of the cultural facility at Sitio Sto. Niño 3 in Luz worth P500,000.

The economic development projects are P200,000 worth of construction or rehabilitation of communal irrigation in Barangay Zapatera; construction or rehabilitation of local roads or bridges worth P139 million for barangays Adlaon, Agsungot, Apas, Bacayan, Banilad, Bonbon, Budlaan, Buhisan, Bulacao, Buot, Capitol Site, Cogon Pardo, Kinasang-an, Lusaran, Mabini, Pasil, Paril, Pit-os, Quiot, Sambag 2, Pulangbato, San Antonio, San Jose, San Nicolas, San Roque, Sapangdaku, Sinsin, Sta. Cruz, Sudlon 2, T. Padilla, Tisa, Tagbao and Taptap.

The environmental projects include P10.6 million worth of rehabilitation or construction of sanitary landfills, material recovery facilities, and purchase of garbage trucks for barangays Apas, Budlaan, Ermita, Kalunasan, Paril, Tabunan, Taptap and Zapatera.

Also included is the P71.9 million worth of implementation of flood and erosion projects such as rehabilitation and construction of drainage system, and the desilting of rivers and declogging of canals for 28 barangays in the city.

After the report to be rendered by the City Council’s committee on budget, it is up to the City Council whether or not to include these proposed projects under the 2016 annual budget.

There are some barangays that are not included in the developmental projects including Guadalupe, Labangon, Babag, Mabolo, Lahug, among others. When sought for comment, Daluz said he has nothing to do with the selection of barangays.

“Ako pud ang nangutana ana nila sa taga-CCDC. Sila raman naghimo sa budget anang P386 million,” he said.

He declined to comment if the selection was politically-motivated since City Councilor Margarita Osmeña, under the opposition, is also a member of the CCDC.

“Gipasagdan man namo sila mga NGO (non-government organizations and barangays unsaon pagbahin among them,” he said, adding that there are barangays under Team Rama that were also not allotted their share. — /BRP (FREEMAN)