Carcar City Center to rise by 3rd quarter

CEBU, Philippines - Construction of the ambitious P2 billion new Carcar City Center that will rise on a 34.7-hectare lot in Barangays Valladolid and Poblacion 3 is expected to start by third quarter of this year.

Carcar City Mayor Nicepuro Apura yesterday said they already inspected the site so that the first phase of the construction could start by July.

Apura said the first phase of the project costs  P100 million. Funding for Phase 1 will be taken from the city government's 2014 annual budget of P387 million, he said.

Apura said the first phase will include construction of the new City Hall for executive and legislative departments.

During site inspection, Apura was with City Engineer Santiago Calinawan Jr. and Architect Richeto Alcordo.

Of the 34.7 hectares, 19.8 hectares are to be acquired from private land owners through direct purchase and will be converted from agricultural use into mix of institutional, commercial and residential uses.

The 5.6 hectares are also to be similarly acquired from private land owners to be retained as irrigated rice field buffer to ensure that the remaining rice field will be preserved for posterity.

"Some lots are still being expropriated but the lot where the City Hall is going to be located is already okay for construction by July," Apura said.

Alcordo said the 9.3 hectares owned by several private owners, adjacent to the site on one side and by the provincial road on the other, will be reconfigured to allow for proper horizontal circulation through new layout of roads.

Alcordo said this is to enhance its property value toward a more rationalized development and become an integral part of the main development area.

These three main areas form a contiguous site envisioned to become the new Carcar City Center.

A new rotunda will be introduced at the intersection of the provincial road and the roads leading to Barangays Dapdap and Liburon.

Across the City Center will transverse an alternate road connecting the provincial highway in Sitio Lamakan, Valladolid to the (under construction) diversion road at Sitio Barraca.

The proposed public transport terminal building at the north end and the sports complex behind the Carcar Central School at the south end and the public market and commercial buildings in between describe the gamut of structures that will rise at the City Center.  (FREEMAN)