FORMER mayor Ernesto Punzalan of Mexico town has aired his opposition to the planned transfer of the municipal hall and public market to a new location.
Punzalan, who is eyeing a comeback on the mayoral seat, said the transfer of the public facilities to Barangay San Jose Matulid is not strategic, as it is a flood-prone area and not as accessible as the poblacion area.
“Makasarili ang desisyon ni [incumbent Mayor Teddy] Tumang na ilipat ang munisipyo, palengke at gym sa pinakamababang lugar. Sa panahon ng tag-ulan, lumulubog doon sa San Jose Matulid hanggang eight feet,” he said.
The ex-mayor said the proposed action will displace several tricycle drivers and put additional burden to residents due to higher transportation rates going to the public facilities.
He said at least seven barangays -- Parian, San Antonio, Sto. Rosario, San Carlos, San Pablo, San Lorenzo, San Miguel, Divisoria and Nueva Victoria -- will be affected by the foreseen additional fare rate going to the new location of the project will push through.
“Sino po ang mapeperwisyo sa gagawin niyang ito? Una iyong mga namamalengke, sa panahon ng tag-ulan ay hindi sila makakapunta doon dahil mataas ang tubig dahil ang lugar na iyon ay ang catch basin ng Abacan River. Paano pupunta doon? Pupunta na lang sila sa San Fernando pero mas madodoble sila sa gastos, madodoble sa oras, doble perwisyo,” he said.
Punzalan also said that transfer of the town hall and public market will put the municipality under an alleged "debt trap," as he claimed that the local government will seek out loans for the purchase of land and construction of the public facilities.
“Unfair sa mga Mexicano dahil unang-una, mangungutang lang sila para mailipat ang mga iyan. Ang dami na naming utang na mga Mexicano, pagkatapos igagawa na naman niya (Tumang) kami ng utang?” the ex-mayor said.
He urged fellow residents to join his call to stop the transfer of the municipal hall and public market.
“Sobra na. Tama na. Mexicano muna,” he said.
Cityhood vision
Meanwhile, incumbent Mayor Tumang said the planned transfer of the public facilities is in preparation for the long-overdue conversion of this first-class municipality into a component city.
He said the local government is allocating P80 million for the purchase of the six-hectare lot in Barangay San Jose Matulid that will house the new municipal hall, public market and convention center as part of the compliance for the requirements for cityhood.
“Ang bayan ng Mexico ay long overdue na. After the election, nag-usap na kami ni Congressman Dong Gonzales na iaaply ko na na maging city na ang bayan. Kaya lang hindi naihabol before this election, iyong kasing lupa na tatayuan sana namin ng munisipyo ay hindi nabili,” Tumang said.
At present, the re-electionist mayor said the municipality has met all the requirements for cityhood as it have 11-square-kilometer of land area, around 179,000 inhabitants and more than P500-million annual income.
The law requires a municipality to have at least P100-million annual income for the last two years as certified by the Department of Finance; 100-square-kilometer land territory certified by the Land Management Bureau; and 150,000 inhabitants as certified by the National Statistics Office for it be qualified for conversion into a component city.
“Meron lang additional requirements na ang munisipyo dapat may malaking area at meron siyang open park. Iyon nalang ang kulang namin tapos ready na kami,” Tumang said.
He also belied Punzalan’s claims that the local government has taken or will take a loan to pursue the said project.
“Sa ngayon wala pa kaming inuutang, wala pa kaming sinasabi na uutangin namin kasi tatrabahuhin namin dalawa ni Congressman Dong na ihingi ng pondo sa national government para sa pagpapagawa ng munisipyo,” he said.
He added: “Hindi ko alam bakit nila sinasabi na may utang, eh wala pa naman kaming utang. Sinabi ko naman paulit-ulit na iyong pambili ng lupa ay nanggaling lang sa aming IRA. Nasa trust fund na namin ngayon iyon, ready na para sa pagbili pagkatapos ng eleksyon.”
Tumang said he also is in talks with SM Supermalls for the construction of the public market.
According to him, the SM Supermalls will be funding the construction of five-story market while the local government must only need to provide a two-hectare lot.
“Wala kaming gagastusin sa palengke kahit singko. Magkakaroon kami ng MOA (memorandum of agreement) na ipo-provide namin ang lupa tapos sila ang magdedevelop. ‘Yung first floor ang magiging palengke tapos ‘yung second hanggang fifth floor ay sa kanila. Hindi ko pa lang masiguro kung gaano katagal pero baka 25 to 30 years ‘yan tapos after that ite-turnover na nila ang management sa munisipyo,” he said.
Tumang also addressed Punzalan’s claim that the municipal hall and public market will be submerged in water during rainy season due to its low level location.
He said several developments will be conducted in the area to make it flood-free and accessible to general public.
“Kukunin namin elevation na tama na hindi aabutin ng baha. Hindi naman basta basta magpapagawa lang ang munisipyo tapos babahain lang. Kukunin natin ‘yung elevation na tama bago ipastart ang project. Sisiguraduhin din na accessible ‘yung lugar dahil may bubuksan na bagong bypass road na dadaan mismo sa location ng palengke at munisipyo. ‘Yung tulay din ginagawa na, hopefully next year mag-open na. Isa nalang ang problema namin na tulay niyan pero tinatrabaho na rin ang funding,” he said.