100 DAYS FOR LIM ADMINISTRATION

MAYOR Brian Lim assured Dagupenos he will put in every single bit of dedication to his first 100 days of work here as he calls for cooperation to make things happen.

This, after joining city hall employees in his first ever flag raising ceremony as city mayor of Dagupan.

In an interview with local media, Lim said that to set things straight, he will spend his first week by getting to know city hall employees, plus reviewing the various departments’ reports, pending projects, and future initiatives.

“If you really wanted a good working relationship, then you should get to know them”, said Lim. “We are here to do our jobs, and with the time given to us, it is important for us to do the best we can, para kung sakaling three years lang talaga ang nakalaan sa atin para magsilbi, masasabi natin na nagawa natin lahat ng ating makakaya, na malinis, at walang halong self-interest”.

Contrary to what others believe, Lim assured the public that his privilege as the city mayor is not ‘special’ compared to others – as they are all public servants at the end of the day.

“There are things I couldn’t do that others can, while there are also things others couldn’t do, but I can. The bottom line is that we need to cooperate, regardless of our political affiliation, to get things done”, added Lim.

Lim is also set to attend a schooling for newly-elected mayors, hosted by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), in order to learn strategies to effectively lead the city.

With these in mind, he promised to address the city’s three major concerns – namely flooding, waste management, and job opportunities.

Earlier, Lim approached the city government of Navotas in Metro Manila – headed by now Mayor Tobias Tiangco, to learn from the city’s experience and solutions to flooding.

Navotas, much like Dagupan City, has a low-lying terrain, and surrounded by bodies of water – the coast of Manila Bay, and other interconnected rivers on the other side of the city. Navotas, however, managed to effectively address its perennial flooding problems.

According to Lim, the Manila-based city is willing to share its lessons.

“Hindi nakakahiyang humingi ng tulong sa ibang bayan na may expertise sa pagresolba sa problema na naranasan din nila. Hindi tayo nagsasabing eksperto tayo sa baha kaya, kailangang humingi ng tulong sa kanila maging sa DPWH in the near future”, said Lim.

This solution, he said, would be possible with a plan.

According to Lim, the city has a complex flood problem, which requires a comprehensive planning in order to identify the root cause.

“Hindi pwedeng wala tayong sinusunod na plano. Hindi tayo haharap sa taong bayan at sasabihing lahat ng sagot nasa atin. We have to study, we have to be humble enough to know that there are possible causes and number of solutions we can implement”, he emphasized.

In the meantime, Lim ordered City Administrator Vladimir Mata to conduct a comprehensive drainage audit, to determine if both old and new drainages in the city are still structurally sound, connected, and functioning well.

Meanwhile, Lim also stressed the need for the closure of the city dumpsite located in Bonuan area.

This would be possible, according to him, by searching for a feasible sanitary landfill in order to temporarily dispose of the city’s waste, while searching for new ways of waste management.

He, however, highlighted the need for proper waste segregation which should begin within Dagupan’s households.

On Waste to Worth project initiative of the Fernandez administration, Lim said he will study if the project is, indeed, the best, and most cost-efficient solution.

“Kapag nakitang ang waste to worth ay hindi naman most effective way, eh bakit natin itutuloy? Simple lang po, kung maganda ang project ng predecessor, itutuloy natin, kung mali rin po, sisiguraduhin kong hindi yan itutuloy lalo na kung iyan ay iligal”, Lim said.

He also promised to provide job opportunities, focusing on needs of marginalized communities in the city.

“We want to move them away from traditional income sources. If we can give them more stable jobs, mas maganda para mas maging stable ang income”, he said.

Lim in the future will also invite domestic and foreign investors to the city that can help create jobs provide jobs. (Chub Pasion)

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