Daluz opposes 2 city projects

CEBU, Philippines — "I don't think these projects can save lives."

This was the statement of Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon after a presentation of lawyer Jose Daluz III on the Office of the Mayor's proposed projects in connection with the proposed Supplemental Budget 3 worth P3.3 billion.

Daluz, Special Assistant to the Mayor, was one of the speakers during the City Council's budget hearing yesterday.

Among the matters he presented were the proposed P240 million and P100 million budgets for the construction of the Cebu City Command Center (CCCC) and the Archives Building, respectively.

Dizon said he is not totally in agreement with the proposed budgets for the two projects.

"Primarily on the ground nga dili man ni siya urgent and necessary, especially at this time na duna tay pandemic," said Dizon.

"I don't think these projects can provide sustainable livelihood for our constituents. I don't think these two projects can feed the hungry," Dizon said, adding that the two are "unnecessary, not relevant projects" in the middle of a public health crisis.

Daluz, in his presentation, said the CCCC will be constructed in a 3,000 square-meter property.

It will be a 10-storey building that will house four departments, including the city's Transportation Office and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, among others.

But Dizon questioned the construction of a command center when the City Hall hotlines are not even working sometimes.

“Spending 240 million pesos for a command center and 100 million pesos for an Archives building while we are in the middle of a pandemic is simply not right. It’s immoral and unreasonably excessive,” he said.

“The proposed budget for the construction of the command center and Archives building would be useful if we spend it for urgent concerns: food assistance for our indigent residents, livelihood program for our displaced workers and additional swab test kits and PPE,” he added.  LPM (FREEMAN)