Solon leads inaug’ns of school bldg, waterworks
Email This Article
By JUNE S. BLANCO
VEHICULAR traffic in the island town of President Garcia stands to increase in the near future.
This after Rep. Erico Aumentado and Pres. Garcia Mayor Tesalonica Boyboy agreed to put up counterpart funds at P2.5 million each from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the local government unit (LGU) coffers respectively for the purchase of a barge to serve the transport needs of the islanders.
He is willing to put in additional funds from his PDAF should the P5 million seed money come short of the barge’s price.
Aumentado said the barge is the better option since a bridge across Basiao Channel would be too long, too costly and in the economies of scale, not economically viable. The barge will already suffice to bring vehicles, trucks, cargoes and heavy equipment in and out of the island – expediting commerce, he explained.
The barge will be operated by the LGU as an economic enterprise, he said.
To note, the Provincial Engineer’s Office (PEO) had improved using soil stabilizer and concreted some stretches of the island’s provincial roads during his watch as governor even as the present administration is currently widening them preparatory to more traffic and for conversion into a national road, he said.
The bill the solon has filed to the effect is now approved by the House Public Works Committee chaired by Benguet Rep. Ronaldo Cosalan. It is now due for reporting to the plenary.
In a parallel move, Aumentado requested the Bohol Land Transportation Association (Bolta) chaired by Baclayon Mayor Alvin Uy to provide units to serve the passenger and cargo needs of the island that has 23 barangays through the facilities of the existing Tapal Wharf in Ubay town in the mainland and Popoo Wharf in Pres. Garcia.
The road improvements and the bus services will hasten development in the island, he said.
Meanwhile, the solon made use of the weekend break from sessions in inaugurating projects.
He led turnover rites for the three-classroom school building for the Pandanon High School in Pandanon Island in Getafe town worth P1.850 million including labor implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd).
Other guests included Bohol Schools Division Assistant Superintendent Bianito Dagatan, Bohol Gov. Edgardo Chatto, Pandanon Brgy. Capt. Norberto Cabañero, Schools District Supervisor Estrellita Doblas and Head Teacher Feliciana Niño.
At the same time, Aumentado committed to allocate PDAF funds to construct a one-classrrom school building for the Pandanon Elementary School, the lone feeder for the high school. Among Bohol’s islands, Pandanon is the nearest to Cebu. Nearby Cabul-an Island of Buenavista town already has its own elementary and high schools.
In his message, the solon said his heart went out to the Pandanon islanders as their elementary school had “just bamboo slats for walls” that made it no different from a chicken cage.
He also committed to allocate funds for the island to start a Botica sa Barangay (pharmacy in the barangay) as well as a P50,000 counterpart for its chosen Kapitbisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) project.
He noted that the island has no space anymore for a school building so that a reclamation project is being mulled for the same.
Hopping on to President Garcia Island that afternoon, he led inauguration rites for the P140,000 waterworks system project in Brgy. Popoo implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
He cut the ribbon with Mayor Tesalonica Boyboy and Brgy. Capt. Tessie Sente.
This was where he announced the joint barge project with Boyboy. He also committed P50,000 as his counterpart for the barangay’s Kalahi-CIDSS project and another P25,000 for its own Botica sa Barangay as well as the electrification of another sitio.
That evening, he attended the barangay assembly in Baud. He noted that the elementary school building already badly needed repair, and that it still has a combination class for kindergarten and Grades 1, 2 and 3.
He committed to Brgy. Capt. Eufrosinia Paredes his PDAF assistance of P50,000 as counterpart for Baud’s Kalahi-CIDSS project and P25,000 for its Botica sa Barangay.
“I make it a point to attend barangay assemblies to know first-hand the situation in the area so that I may help address problems besetting the residents,” he said.
