MAYOR Belen T. Fernandez is pursuing plans to develop new growth areas in Dagupan City in line with her vision of turning Dagupan into a Smart City by year 2016 and Premier City of the North by 2020.

Fernandez said she now considering the barangays of Lucao and Caranglaan as new growth areas with Lucao as possible site of a new city hall.

“We are seriously considering the plan to construct a new city hall in Lucao, to tap local and national funding from congress and other government agencies before resorting to bank loans,” Fernandez disclosed.

Fernandez confirmed that Land Bank of the Philippines is willing to offer the city a loan from P500 million to P700 million given the city’s good standing with the government-owned bank.

The mayor, however, says she is presently not keen on the offer.

“We have to study if our annual budget would be enough to pay the loan and for how long,” she said. “The city can’t afford a long term plan because that would translate to more interests to pay,” Fernandez explained.

Fernandez is hoping that the new city hall will be completed before 2016, an election year and the end of her first term in office.

The mayor said the old city hall will be transformed into a city museum.

Aside from the establishment of new growth centers, Fernandez is studying the establishment of a special economic zone in Bonuan and the redevelopment of Tondaligan.

Meanwhile, Fernandez has announced she will revive the plan to install CCTV cameras in strategic areas of the city with a P4-million fund allotted for the phase one, the installation of these equipment.

“We are now ready to invite interested bidders. Hopefully, the cameras and cables will be installed one month after the bidding,” Fernandez said. (CIO/ JosephCBacani)

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