QC invests P1.9B in infra projects

The Quezon City government, under the stewardship of Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr., has invested more than P1.9 billion in much needed infrastructure projects, which are national in scope and significance since 2002.

In an executive summary report on infrastructure projects, the city engineering department said bulk of the amount was spent on the construction and repair of school buildings, road improvement and complementary infrastructure projects, including bridges and pedestrian overpasses.

The city engineering department said since 2001, it has built 39 school buildings that were categorized as national government projects. Additional school buildings include the Ernesto Roldan High School, Commonwealth High School, Quezon City High School, Bagong Silangan High School, Bago Bantay Elementary School, Bagbag Elementary School, Balara Elementary School, Novaliches Elementary School and Maligaya Elementary School.

Investments in new school buildings have resulted in the construction of an additional 880 classrooms.

The report also said the city government constructed pedestrian overpasses on Commonwealth Avenue fronting the wet market and near Litex Road, Katipunan Avenue fronting Ateneo de Manila University and at the Quezon Memorial Circle fronting the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).

The city government spent P52.9 million for the projects, which are intended to ease vehicular traffic and improve safety for pedestrians.

The city government also spent P29.9 million for the construction of bridges at the La Mesa Eco Park and at Atlas on Katipunan Road in Barangay San Bartolome.

Improving road and drainage systems, which are also of national in scope, have been undertaken by the city government since 2001, when Belmonte assumed office.

The projects includes sidewalk improvement along Quirino Highway in Novaliches, concreting and widening of Tandang Sora Avenue and Kamuning road, dredging and restoration of rip-rap at the Mariblo and San Francisco rivers, drainage improvement on Imperial, West Point and Columbia and St. Mary’s streets in Cubao and the rip-rapping of the Tullahan rivers and desilting of San Juan river. – Perseus Echeminada