ILOILO City – The massive improvement of public plazas in the metro’s six districts as well as other infrastructure projects of the city government are set to take off next year.
According to Mayor Jerry Treñas, the fund was already appropriated and will be up for bidding by the first quarter of 2021.
“Gina-finalize na lang gid naton ang mga diutay nga detalye,” said Treñas.
For the rehabilitation of Libertad Plaza in the City Proper, the mayor said, “Napirmahan ko na ang P19-million appropriation this year then ang P11 million will come next year.”
The city government also allotted funds for La Paz Plaza amounting to P70 million; Jaro Plaza – P90 million and Arevalo Plaza – P30 million. The budget will be taken from the city’s General Fund, Treñas said.
In early December, the Sangguniang Panlungsod approved the city’s P2.7-billion executive budget for next year.
Meanwhile, the Molo plaza, according to Treñas, will be funded by the office of Ilonggo lawmaker Franklin Drilon.
The Mandurriao plaza, on the other hand, will be funded under the Green Green Green Program of the national government. The target funding for the two plazas is P25 million each.
Treñas revealed that each plaza will have special features.
For one, the La Paz plaza will be complimented with a butterfly garden. The Koi pond will also be revived and the tennis court will be renovated.
The covered gym of Jaro plaza will installed with an air conditioning system.
The tennis court of Mandurriao Plaza will also be improved.
“There are a lot of activities going to happen next year,” said Treñas.
Aside from plazas, the construction of the city’s P400-million seven-storey multipurpose Legislative Parking Building is also seen to commence next year, the mayor said.
He added that city government is fast tracking the planned construction of Iloilo City Hospital and the public markets in La Paz, Arevalo and Mandurriao.
However, the appropriations for the city hospital and the proposed markets have yet to be finalized.
On the other hand, Treñas said Iloilo becoming “popular” and was eventually dubbed as Wakanda of the Philippines was the city’s biggest accomplishment in 2020.
“Ang pinakadako naton nga accomplishment amid the pandemic amo ang nakilala ang syudad sang Iloilo. What’s important for everyone now is to work together kay kadamo pa sang aton ulobrahun,”Treñas further said./PN
