City identifies 5 projects from DILG incentive

THE Zamboanga City Government has identified five priority projects to be implemented using the P105-million Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) it received for passing the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Seal of Good Housekeeping program (SGH).

Identified priority projects include the rehabilitation and improvement of 27 school buildings, P18 million; rehabilitation and improvement of the infectious ward at the Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC), P3 million; construction of slope protection projects at the rivers of San Roque and Tumaga, P28 million; construction and improvement of farm-to-market roads at Latap-Cabonegro in the village of Limpapa and at Ayala-Lapaz, P46 million; and, rural electrification in 17 areas, P10 million.

Mayor Celso Lobregat said the projects were identified as early as January this year in coordination with the concerned agencies and stakeholders in the city.

Lobregat said the LGSF, based on the guidelines, shall be utilized as capital expenditures and shall be used to augment the local government units (LGUs) respective approved 2012 Annual Investment Plan (AIP) for implementation of any of the identified projects.

He said it covers the implementation of projects that include, among others, rural electrification, local roads connecting national roads, arterial farm to market roads and bridges, local economic enterprises, flood control and drainage and to support various priority projects of the national government such as the millennium development goals, Philippine disaster risk reduction and management act of 2010 and solid waste management act of 2000.

The SGH award, initiated by the late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo, is intended to promote transparency, accountability and efficiency in local governance.

The award was formally presented to Lobregat by DILG Regional Director Paizal Abutazil last August 29 on behalf of the late DILG chief.

Zamboanga City has been cited as one of the LGUs in the country that passed the seal of good housekeeping and was qualified to receive the LGSF.

In Zamboanga Peninsula, the LGUs that will receive the LGSF share are the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Norte, and the cities of Dapitan and Dipolog aside from Zamboanga City.

The amount varies in each local government unit with Zamboanga City getting the biggest share. (Bong Garcia)