Legarda barnstorms Antique, inaugurates projects

MANILA, Philippines — Deputy speaker and former senator Loren Legarda barnstormed her home province of Antique on Thursday and inaugurated a new three-story National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) district office, old capitol building and the remaining Balay nga Bato or stone house in the province.

“The completion of the NBI district office is one of our initiatives to bring government services closer to our kasimanwa (provincemates). We expect the new district office to facilitate clearance issuance and strengthen peace and order programs in the province,” Legarda, who is seeking a fresh Senate term, said.

During her term as chairperson of the Senate committee on finance, Legarda allocated funds for the construction of the NBI district office at Funda-Dalipe, San Jose de Buenavista in accordance with the NBI Reorganization and Modernization Act.

She also allocated funds for the Department of Public Works and Highways in 2017 and 2019 and National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) in 2018 for the restoration and retrofitting of the old capitol building.

Constructed between 1905 to 1910, the old capitol building is one of the remaining buildings that was refurbished, renovated and reconstructed during the American colonial period that is still structurally sound.

Legarda also allocated funds in 2018 and 2019 under the NHCP for the restoration of the Balay nga Bato, estimated to be around 194 to 211 years old. The structure served as quarters for Japanese forces when they took over Antique and the rest of Panay, and as a hospital for the wounded during the World War II.

She said the completion of the restoration projects would serve as a venue to showcase Antique’s rich culture and heritage.