THE establishment of a city college, privatization of garbage collection, development of new sanitary landfill, creation of new barangays and third legislative district of Cagayan de Oro City.
These are the proposed flagship projects identified by Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano even as he created Wednesday four Ad Hoc Committees primarily tasked “to study and propose measures” on the matters within 60 days or two months.
The creation of the four multi-agency Ad Hoc Committees was formalized by Mayor Emano after the latter simultaneously issued Executive Order Nos. 007, 008, 009 and 010 on Tuesday.
City Councilor Adrian L. Barba was named as Ad Hoc Chairman who will prepare feasibility study, conduct documentation and propose measures for the establishment, maintenance and operation of a City College, to be known as the "Pamantasan ng Cagayan de Oro.”
Noting that while the City Government has a College Scholarship Program, Mayor Emano said it is more practical and prudent to establish a City College in order to accommodate more poor students who could not enroll in private colleges and universities due to high tuition fees.
The body is tasked to look for appropriate school site, determine the courses offered and the scholarship program; the composition, terms of office and honoraria of the Board of Trustees and its powers, duties, functions and responsibilities; and the initial funding.
The second committee, chaired by neophyte City Councilor Nadya B. Emano-Elipe, will study and propose measures for the privatization of the city’s garbage collection, citing that the increasing volume of solid wastes is hard to cope with a growing metropolis like Cagayan de Oro City.
“The privatization of garbage collection is one of the options in order to address the city’s cleanliness and sanitation,” Emano said.
A third committee with City Councilor Alvin R. Calingin as its chairman was also created to identify, acquire and develop an area suitable for a new dumpsite or sanitary landfill.
Emano said the development of a new landfill or dumpsite is necessary because the existing sanitary landfill at Upper Dagong in Barangay Carmen has been overtaken by the city’s growth and progress, thus needs its immediate transfer to a new location.
Emano added that the transfer of the present sanitary landfill will also pave the way for the physical development of the area as ‘another economic growth center’ of the city.
“Besides, it is no longer conforming to the requirements of R.A. 9003 or the
Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2003, the Clean Air Act and other laws, rules and regulations,” he pointed out.
rAnother Ad Hoc Committee, chaired by City Councilor Ramon G. Tabor, will study and propose measures for the creation of new barangays and third legislative district of Cagayan de Oro City.
By dividing big barangays of the city through a plebiscite, Emano is optimistic that better delivery of basic services to the people would be ensured.
“The people of Cagayan de Oro could also have an equal representation in Congress, aside from getting more benefits from the National Government, if a third legislative district is created," Emano said. (PR)