IT’S all systems go for the construction of the new Dagupan City Hall after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) for the back-filling of the donated property in Barangay Pantal as site of a government center.

Mayor Belen Fernandez told the KBP Forum last Thursday the city government has fully complied with all the initial requirements required by law, that included the ECC.

The DENR personnel that visited the site issued the recommendation for the issuance based on their evaluation and studies.

The city government has proceeded with the public bidding for the back-filling of the area through the Philippine Government Electronic Processing System (Philgeps) as provided for in the government procurement law.

To be back-filled is the 1.2 hectare land donated to the city by businessman Kerwin Fernandez, brother of Mayor Belen Fernandez, located along the Pantal-Lucap road of the Jose de Venecia Expressway Extension.

The property was a former fishpond.

The city is using the proceeds from the sale of the former MC Adore property in the amount of P119 million to cover the cost of back-filling of the area and fee of consultant that will prepare the detailed engineering design for the proposed project.

After the full land development of the area, Fernandez will begin negotiation with a commercial bank per authorization of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) for the cost of the construction of a four-storey government center.

However, Mayor Fernandez said the city government may not need to seek a loan if its surplus and savings last year in the amount of P177 million could be used but the money has been earmarked to fund other development projects in the city.

Construction of projects in Dagupan funded under the 20 percent development fund of more than P100 million was started during the first working day in January 2018.

Meanwhile, the mayor thanked her allies in the city council for the early approval of the 2018 budget that enabled the city government to start with the construction of projects during the first working day of the year.

These include several school buildings, road elevation, gyms, rehabilitation and construction of government buildings and others.

One of the projects started last year and due for completion early this year is the Dagupan City Diagnostic Center that will provide indigent citizens free x-ray services, blood testing, among others. (Leonardo Micua)

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