Mayor Chan to seek infra funding from 10 senators

CEBU, Philippines —  Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan will seek financial assistance from 10 senators for the construction of P367 million worth of various infrastructure projects in the city this year.

Armed with 10 resolutions that the City Council recently passed in mass motion, the mayor will approach various senators to look for them needed funding.

“Whereas, Lapu-Lapu City government has limited resources to undertake the construction of new school buildings as the city is focusing on the repair and rehabilitation of existing government facilities that were destroyed and damaged by Super Typhoon Odette,” read the common provision of these resolutions.

From Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, the mayor will be requesting P50 million in funds for the construction of multi-purpose school buildings in barangays Caohagan and Babag.

These are the four-storey building with 12 classrooms worth P32 million in Barangay Babag, and two-storey six classrooms worth P18 million in the island of Barangay Caohagan.

The mayor will also be requesting P33 million in funds from Senator Grace Poe for the construction of the three-storey multi-purpose building in Barangay Pajo.

Chan will also request from Senator Imee Marcos P34 million in funds for the construction of a multi-purpose building in Mactan Elementary School and Mactan High School, at P17 million each.

He will also request P27 million from Senator Loren Legarda for the construction of the three-storey, 9-classroom building inside Olango Mini City Hall compound in Barangay Talima. This will be the branch of Lapu-Lapu City College there.

The mayor will also request P20 million for road asphalting inside Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base from Senator Ronald de la Rosa.

As for Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, the mayor will request P40 million in funds for a diversion road from Sudtunggan-Basak to Barangay Gabi in Cordova town. This is expected to ease up traffic along the main road in Barangay Basak.

Chan will also seek P70 million fund assistance from Senator Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara for Washington road improvement and drainage rehabilitation at George Tampus road. Washington road and George Tampus road are both in Barangay Basak.

The mayor will also seek fund assistance from Senator Raffy Tulfo for a P10 million access road under the 1st Mactan-Mandaue bridge.

The access road will ease up traffic congestion there as it will serve as an alternate road in going up and down the bridge.

The mayor will also seek P35 million fund assistance from Senator Francis Tolentino in building an evacuation center on Olango island.

And finally, the mayor will seek Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri’s help in erecting four pedestrian skywalks, with a total cost of P48 million, along Barangay Basak main road going to Barangay Marigondon.

According to the city’s Public Information Office, at P12 million for each skywalk, these pedestrian walkways will be built on four traffic choke points along Washington road, Barangay Basak main thoroughfare, going to Marigondon.

These choke points are at the intersection near SM Hypermart; the intersection fronting Cebu Light Industrial Park (CLIP); the intersection fronting Gaisano Grand Mall and the intersection near Marigondon Elementary School. — JMD (FREEMAN)