ANGELES CITY― “Totally inconsiderate.”
Thus, declared mayoralty candidate Alexander S. Cauguiran as he lambasted the city government’s decision to acquire a P1-billion loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) to construct a new city hall building and a modern sports complex.
“The mayor and vice mayor must first address the basic priority needs of the city and its residents, to provide better medical and health services and expand opportunities for free college education, before constructing these modern facilities,” Cauguiran said.
He urged Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and Vice Mayor Brian Nepomuceno to “stop all these extravagant projects.”
He continued: “How can we in conscience put the convenience of LGU officials over and above the need for medical services of our residents, most of whom cannot afford to go to the private hospitals? Build a sports complex, or provide more opportunities for free quality education? If you are truly responsive to the needs and priorities of our fellow Angeleños, please listen to the people and stop your extravagant projects.”
Cauguiran, former chief-of-staff of Pamintuan, said LGU officials should instead channel the funds to address the inadequacies at the Ospital Ning Angeles (ONA) and to accommodate more poor but deserving students at the City College of Angeles (CCA).
Last February 26, Pamintuan requested his vice mayor for authority from the sangguniang panlungsod to enter into and sign a loan agreement amounting to P1 billion with the DBP.
Among the projects cited by Pamintuan to be funded from the loan were a new 5-storey city hall in the amount of P580 million; office equipment, furniture, and computer hardware and software at P25 million; sports complex and equipment for P360 million; and a multi-level steel parking at P60 million, for a total of P1.025 billion.
“The city government will be heavily burdened for the payment of these loans over a period of 15 years and will add up to the previous borrowings of the LGU. Remember that last year alone, the city government appropriated P176 million to service its outstanding loans,” Cauguiran said.
He also said that based on official documents, two-term loans were signed between the city government and the DBP, one in the amount of P1,043,000,000, and another at P183,800,000 for a total of P1,226,800,000.
“Both loans were notarized on the same day, June 18, 2018,” Cauguiran noted.
He said on July 18, both Pamintuan and Nepomuceno approved Sangguniang Panlungsod Appropriation Ordinance No. 325, S-2018 (PO-1045-07-18) which included among others, “funding for the construction of the new city hall, sports complex, multi-level steel parking, and other related capital expenditures amounting to P1.025 billion.
The bidding for the sports complex was conducted on September 25 while that of the new city hall is scheduled on November 13, Cauguiran disclosed.
Cauguiran is the former Clark airport president widely known for his results-oriented managerial skills and credited with the increase in flights, destinations and number of passengers at the so-called premier airport of the North.
He is running under the Kambilan Party of incumbent Gov. Lilia G. Pineda and supported by an overwhelming majority of the card-bearing members of the Partido Abe Kapampangan, a party he helped established in 2012.
