CARCAR City Mayor Nicepuro Apura highlighted his State of the City Address (Soca) with the announcement of the construction of a new City Hall building.
Amid some opposition, Apura said, works on the P385-million City Hall building have already started.
Apura, who delivered his Soca last Tuesday, said that the City Hall building will serve as the first structure in the proposed 34.7-hectare Carcar City Center located in Barangay Valladolid.
The mayor said that the City Hall building is expected to be completed in October 2016, but the construction of the city center will take 10 years to finish.
In 2014, the infrastructure projects implemented by Apura’s administration included, among others, the road concreting in 15 barangays.
He said he also facilitated the construction of multi-purpose buildings and improvements of covered courts in the barangays.
In social services, Apura said the City Government implemented a program called Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) that aims to help senior citizens and indigent residents.
Some 5,000 senior citizens were issued with their identification cards that they can use in availing themselves of the discounts and benefits for the elders.
Apura vows to construct a senior citizens’ park before his term ends. The mayor said that he got this idea when he visited Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
For persons with disabilities, Apura said that the City held parenting seminars and gave scholarship grants.
The City’s Womb-to-Tomb program, Serbisyo Alang sa Katawhan sa Carcar (SAKCAR), has been providing services to the constituents, particularly those who want to get free funeral services.
Apura said he also plans to establish a funeral parlor where services, such as embalming, will be free of charge to the indigents.
The Carcar City Government also helped in providing livelihood assistance to the farmers and fishers.
On the peace and order, Apura said the City spent some P1.6 million for the training and equipment of the Special Weapons and Tactics team.
The City also acquired 16 close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras that were installed in key areas in the city.
Apura said the CCTV cameras proved to be useful in helping the police solve various crimes.
Cebu’s First District Rep. Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas, who graced the event, vowed to support Apura’s projects and programs.
Aside from Samsam, his grandfather and former congressman Eduardo Gullas, Provincial Board Member Julian Daan and members of the City Council led by Vice Mayor Patrick Barcenas were present during Apura’s Soca.