News Update Iloilo city gov't prioritizes infrastructure projects in 2011

LOILO CITY, (PNA) - The city government here has signified that it will prioritize infrastructure projects totaling some P200 million in 2011, apart from the P630 million it will spend to complete the new eight-story city hall building it wants to complete by the third quarter of this year. Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has ordered Engineer Karl Quimsing, who is the newly-installed officer-in-charge of the City Engineer's Office (CEO), to "fast-track the processing of documents" so that construction of target projects will be hastened. Mabilog said this year, the city's priority projects will be the rehabilitation of markets, particularly the terminal and central markets within Iloilo City proper districts. The development of these projects is expected to be undertaken through public-private partnership. The city is also eyeing the rehabilitation of the Fort San Pedro Terminal and construction of the Guimaras Iloilo Ferry Terminal (GIFT) project. Also being considered for rehabilitation is the city's slaughterhouse, as well as widening of the Diversion Road from Jalandoni Bridge to Leganes and another road project in the Calumpang, Molo district. The Iloilo City Community College, which is now being constructed at the city-owned lot in Molo and the proposed sports complex to be situated also in Molo district are likewise both in the list of projects the city government is looking into this year. Mabilog informed that he has already met with the Local Finance Committee and the City Assessor's Office to determine the price of the city property in Pavia town which the city government intends to sell and the proceeds of which will be used to finance some of the aforementioned projects. The mayor said the proposed price for the property will be submitted to the Commission on Audit (COA) for its approval and, subsequently, to the Sangguniang Panlungsod to finally effect the sale of the property.