Plans for city bared
WITHOUT most members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod listening, Mayor Benjamin Lim spelled out his big dreams for Dagupan in what he claimed to be his State of the City Address (SOCA) at the Dagupan People’s Astrodome on February 14.
Introduced by City Administrator Vlad Mata, Mayor Lim enumerated what he said he intends to do until the end of his term in 2012 and reiterated his appeal to the city council to pass his proposed budget of P568 million for this year.
“Our city has many issues that need to be addressed, to be resolved, and one day is not enough to discuss them to (sic) you,” Lim said.
FISH INDUSTRY
Among the projects he listed to be accomplished was the cleaning of rivers of illegal structures and fish pens aimed at resuscitating the bangus industry and give “the full benefit to the city’s fish farmers, especially those who are marginalized.”
He noted that while 90 percent of the structures have already been removed from rivers and waterways, he has already began exploring the possibility of culturing high value fish species such as talakitok, pompano and lapu-lapu.
He said the named fish species, though would require 30 to 40 % higher investment but the return and profit margins would be much higher than that of bangus, Dagupan’s number one agricultural product.
Lim also said the city is studying the possibility of using new technology and modern fish cage designs once the one-year moratorium he has given for fish pen operations had expires.
He told the audience that the venue for the “Kalutan ed Dagupan” event during the Bangus Festival in April will revert to its original site, the A.B. Fernandez Avenue, in response to the request of business owners in the downtown area.
The Kalutan was held along the De Venecia Expressway Extension in the last three years.
FLOOD MITIGATION
On the flooding being experienced by some city schools, Lim said he has already asked Architect Maximo Tan, president of the Dagupan City National High School Alumni Association, to draw up a master plan for new multi-storey school buildings.
Meanwhile, the rehabilitation of the city’s controlled dumpsite in Bonuan is set as a priority project, but Lim emphasized that waste management is not a task of the government alone and everyone should take part in it since waste and garbage “start from our homes”.
NO MENTION OF BRGY AWAI
Observers noted, however, that the mayor failed to mention what he would do to recover the 30-hectare lot bought by Dagupan in Barangay Awai, San Jacinto for P16 million during his first term, intended for the city’s engineered sanitary landfill.
The previous administration had determined that then Lim administration proceeded to purchase the land despite prior knowledge that the land was already allocated under the Land Reform Program and the Department of Agrarian Reform has claimed it for distribution to tenants of that land.
Lim, however, simply blamed “some misguided and foolish individuals” for allegedly politicizing the issue for the failed project.
PEACE AND ORDER
On police matters, Lim said he will create a multi-sectoral commission that will be dedicated to the apprehension and prosecution of criminals in the illegal drug trade in the city.
On tourism, he proposed the launching of a regular river cruise that will showcase the inland waterways of Dagupan to attract more tourists to the city.
Noting the still chaotic traffic in the city despite the number-coding scheme introduced by the Public Order and Safety Office, Lim proposed that the city council review and amend the ordinance regarding the issuance of tricycle franchises and the rules for app0lication.
He said that instead of encouraging people to invest in tricycles, “we should inspire them to look for alternative sources of livelihood.”
Early on, Lim pointed out that that his administration has not raised taxes in the city but is only collecting the correct amount due from the taxpayers as prescribed by the city’s ordinance.
“If you want your city to progress, if you want your city to modernize, if you want a more orderly city, if you want a healthier city, we must all pay our taxes, and we must pay the correct amount,” the mayor intoned.
He cited that revenue collection for the month of January alone is 40% higher than the same month last year.—LM
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