P1.5-B infra projects near completion in QC

Some P 1.5-billion infrastructure projects bidded out by the Quezon City government last year are now 85 percent complete, the city’s engineering department reported yesterday.

Department of Engineering officer-in-charge Joselito Cabungcal said the projects, mostly road networks, school buildings and health centers had been the priority of Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. last year.

The construction of road networks was given priority by Belmonte when he assumed office three years ago. It is part of the mayor’s vision to transform Quezon City into a highly interconnected metropolis so that movement of people and commerce becomes less time consuming.

The city government has allocated P1.18 billion for concreting and improvement of 169 roads, spanning a total to 112 kilometers.

Second on the list are infra-projects involving the repair and construction of school buildings. From 2001 to 2003, 25 new school buildings were built, providing 367 new classrooms.

Also included in the program being under by the city engineering department is the construction and repair of public markets, health centers, sports facilities and other vital facilities.

Belmonte, however, said construction of P700-million infraprojects has not started because of various technical problems, including problems related to space.

The mayor said the city government can continue the work done on some school buildings that have been started but left unfinished due to termination of terms of office of some congressmen and senators.

Belmonte directed Cabungcal to coordinate with the Division of City Schools on the list of priority school building projects in various parts of the city.