By: Emme Rose Santiagudo
Multimillion-peso infrastructure projects will be the top priority of the Iloilo City government in 2020, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.
Treñas said on Thursday that the city government’s P400 million multi-level parking building and the proposed P38-million Iloilo City Action and Response Center (ICARE) command center are among the infrastructure projects that will be prioritized this year.
“Ang mga infra nga naaprubahan ta last year amo na ang aton priorities, ang aton legislative building, command center, kag may ara pa gid kita bodega sa San Pedro in Molo. May funding man na sila tanan,” he said.
According to Treñas, the bidding for the legislative building is scheduled on February 22 while the bidding for the command center is scheduled on March.
“Ginpangayuan ko na schedule ang mga projects sa City Engineer’s Office para mahatagan timeline,” he said.
The seven-storey, multi-purpose legislative parking building will be constructed beside the Ker and Co. heritage building near the City Hall to address the parking needs of the City Hall.
Last September, the city government also signed a usufruct agreement with Heva Development and Management Corp. (HDMC) for the establishment of the ICARE command center in Gaisano complex.
The five-storey building will be located at the Iloilo City Center of the Gaisano Capital Group in Mandurriao District and will be used as a command center of the City Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO).
Aside from the above-mentioned infrastructure projects, Treñas said that plazas and public markets will also undergo rehabilitation efforts.
The mayor said the city allotted P5 million for the rehabilitation of the Central Market; P11 million for the rehabilitation of the Iloilo Terminal Market and P5 million for the rehabilitation of the La Paz Plaza.
“Ini dako nga projects nga ginabantayan ko para maplastar na naton,” he said.
Treñas added that he plans to rehabilitate selected public markets in the city and add floors with parking spaces.
“Gindugang ko pa gid ang magagmay na markets like Jaro Big, Arevalo, Mandurriao, ipaubra ta na kung hulaman ta, hulaman ta. Ang akon gusto nga ang 2nd floor may parking na kita kay na-notice ko nga kon ang ara ang parking sa dalom ka budlay gid kag indi ta ma maximize ang aton markets,” he said.
