Caloocan steps up infra dev’t program

The city government of Caloocan yesterday announced its infrastructure program is in full swing.

For added measure, it also claimed it has finished more projects in one year than what the previous administration finished in four years, citing a comparative report submitted by the City Engineer’s Office.

Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Echiverri said some P350 million worth of infrastructure projects were financed by the local government in only the first year of his administration.

"As I have promised the people of Caloocan early on, more is yet to come," said Echiverri.

The mayor said that some P27.6 million were allocated for school and road projects when he first assumed office in July, until December 2004. From this amount, about P23 million went to the rehabilitation, asphalting and concreting of roads and streets, cleaning and construction of canals and drainage systems while some P4.7 million was used for the construction of additional classrooms and school buildings.

From January to July 2005, some P331 million were allocated for infrastructure projects with P14.2 million going to renovations, repairs and rehabilitation of city hall facilities and police stations.

Some P100.7 million were used for school infrastructure projects including the construction of covered courts in different public elementary, secondary and tertiary schools. Among the schools under construction are the Maypajo High School, Kasarinlan High School, De la Costa High School and Amparo High School Annex.

Some P108.5 million have been allotted for road projects while P107.7 million were used to finance the construction and repair of covered courts, barangay halls and the installation of fences and concrete walls.

Echiverri said some 28 covered courts were constructed this year alone. Roads being repaired and concreted were Langaray, Padas, 8th, Tuan, Tambakol, Tawilis, Taniguie, Tamban, and Torcillo streets, Dagat-Dagatan Avenue and Bagong Silang Road.

Supporting the City Hall’s claim of more projects finished than the previous leadership, the City Engineer’s Office reported that some P162.8 million were undertaken in 2001; P73.5 million in 2002; P6.3 million in 2003 and P65.8 million from January to June 2004 immediately before Echiverri assumed office.