ANGELES CITY -- Members of the majority bloc of the city council on Thursday defended the planned multi-million projects of Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, including the P16-million fountain at the Heritage Park and the P110-million public memorial park designed to help poor people in the highly urbanized city.
Councilor Edu Pamintuan, son of the two-term mayor, said a fountain in Baguio City costs P30-million. He refused to elaborate his statements when asked by reporters.
City Engr. Donato Dizon, who was invited by the council as spokesperson, said a fountain in Balanga City, Bataan was built at an amount of P30-million.
He presented an individual project of program of works for the improvement of the Heritage District at the downtown area here. It showed that the fountain would cost P8.8 million and the civil works will amount to P1.2 million.
The same report cited three other detailed estimates of the proposed work: pavers for sidewalks, P2,004, 912; roadway pavers, P3, 938, 538. 24; and clearing and disposal, P55, 209.77. It’s total cost is P15,998,660.
Councilor Bryan Nepomuceno, who is touted to be the running mate of Pamintuan for the 2016 elections, said the fountain “only cost P10-million” based on Dizon’s report. He added that the cost of the fountain and related civil works should “only” be associated with the construction of the structure, which will rise beside the Museo Ning Angeles in Barangay Sto. Rosario.
Nepomuceno said that the three other works cited in the report are not part of the fountain.
The lawyer-councilor, whose family is one of the owners of the Holy Memorial Park, also defended the planned memorial park pushed by Pamintuan. He said that “it will cost that much (P110-million)” for the land development of the cemetery and necessary facilities such as crematorium.
Pamintuan is reportedly eyeing a P1.5-hectare lot in Sapa Libutad for the cemetery and the land will cost P10-million.
Councilor Alex Indiongco said there are at least 30 to 50 people from Angeles City who die weekly. He stressed that the cemetery must be established because there are still no public cemeteries in the city.
Indiongco said that the project will help the poor people in the city. He added that a lot in a private cemetery costs between P50,000 to P80,000 each.
Councilor Max Sangil urged Dizon to present a “complete study” of the fountain and compare it with other fountains constructed in other cities.
Pamintuan is planning to loan P287,710,000 from the Development Bank of the Philippines. Aside from the fountain and cemetery, the city government will use the amount for three other projects: barangay halls, P28 million; Pampang public market, P50 million; and command center, P50 million. (Joey Pavia/Contributor)