Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo has called for a ceasefire in verbal tussles on air during the Christmas season with regards to issues surrounding the proposed purchase of a lot intended for the sanitary landfill, among others.
Remollo issue the statement as he switched on the Christmas lights of a giant Christmas tree at the Quezon Park on Thursday evening. The activity was graced by the public assisted by local officials, department heads, barangay captains and “kagawads’ and including Councilors Alan Gel Cordova, Michael Bandal and Lilani Ramon.
Christmas is a time for the family and friends, they come here to celebrate Christmas and it is annoying for them to hear heated arguments on air, Remollo said.
The mayor was hoping the coming year 2018 would be a very blessed year for Dumagueteños with so many developments coming up, not just economic but in terms of infrastructure and sports development programs.
Meanwhile, from 12,500 in the previous year, the number of indigent families who will receive white gifts this year is doubled to 25,000 and with an increase of the amount from P300 to P400 per recipient including persons with disabilities and senior citizens.
The mayor also announced there is a pending proposal to extend financial assistance to oldies who will reach the age of 80 years old. The proposal is to extend P10,000 in every five years until they will reach 100 years old.
In preparation for the massive infrastructure project, the city council has also approved an appropriation of more than P43 million for the purchase of heavy equipment so that all projects in the barangays will be fast-tracked.
Remollo just signed a program of work worth P23 million for the repair of damaged portion of dikes along the Banica River including the spillways in Bagacay, Taclobo and Candau-ay.
But Remollo said this is only temporary as the long term approach is to construct bridges in lieu of spillways.
As to the proposed location of the sanitary landfill (SLF), the chief executive was hoping for the approval of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
According to Remollo, when the DENR sends the go signal, he will proceed with the project because he can’t anymore in conscience witness residents and Dumagueteños in general suffer the effects of the dumpsite in Candau-ay.
The mayor is aware of the objection by some quarters but he enjoined them to have an open mind. He called on them to be part of a delegation to be sent to Bayawan City in the south of the province to see for themselves how the SLF of Bayawan City operates. For ten years, it is operating without foul odor coming out of the facility. In fact, the recent jamboree was held near the facility a few weeks ago.
According to Remollo, like the previous administrations, he can just let go of this project to avoid the controversy of locating the SLF site in another site within Dumaguete “but I cannot just close my eyes and stay idle; we have to do what is good for our people and we’re not afraid of losing votes,” he pointed out.
Remollo added he cannot frustrate the will of the majority of the people to have a sanitary landfill and so everybody has to sacrifice for every development in the city.
Also coming up is the unveiling of the Dumaguete signage at the view deck of the Rizal Boulevard before the year ends with the markings “Dumaguete Philippines #DumaGeTmE.”
And most importantly is the most awaited project of the year, which is the installation of CCTV cameras all over the city that will come second quarter of next year as well as the ground breaking of the restoration of the original portion of city hall on January 8, 2018.
It will be the first in the history of the city where a portion of the old city hall will be restored to its original form and become the regional museum; the front portion will be landscaped all the way to the Quezon Park up to the Belfry tower at the Cathedral.
With all these developments, Remollo foresees a different fiesta and Christmas celebration next year. (Juancho Gallarde/PNA)
