DUMAGUETE CITY — City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo has called for a “ceasefire” in verbal tussles during the Christmas season regarding issues surrounding the proposed purchase of a lot intended for the sanitary landfill, among others.
Remollo issued the statement as he switched on the Christmas lights of a giant Christmas tree at the Quezon Park on Thursday evening.
The activity, witnessed by residents, was led by local officials, department heads, barangay captains, and council members, including City Councilors Alan Gel Cordova, Michael Bandal and Lilani Ramon.
Christmas is a time for family and friends, they come to the city to celebrate Christmas and it is annoying for them to hear heated arguments on air, Remollo said.
The mayor was hoping the coming year 2018 would be a very blessed year for Dumagueteños with so many developments coming up, not just economic but in terms of infrastructure and sports development programs.
Meanwhile, from 12,500 in the previous year, the number of indigent families who will receive “white gifts” this year is doubled to 25,000 and with an increase of the amount from PHP300 to PHP400 per recipient including persons with disabilities and senior citizens.
The mayor also announced there is a pending proposal to extend financial assistance to elderlies who will reach the age of 80 years old. The proposal is to extend PHP10,000 every five years until they reach 100 years old.
In preparation for the massive infrastructure project, the city council has also approved an appropriation of more than PHP43 million for the purchase of heavy equipment so that all projects in the barangays will be fast-tracked.
Remollo has just signed a program of work worth PHP23 million for the repair of the damaged portion of dikes along the Banica River including the spillways in Bagacay, Taclobo, and Candau-ay.
But Remollo said this is only temporary as the long-term approach is to construct bridges in lieu of spillways.
As to the proposed location of the sanitary landfill (SLF), the chief executive was hoping for its approval by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
According to Remollo, when the DENR sends the go signal, he will proceed with the project because he can’t anymore in conscience witness residents and Dumagueteños, in general, suffer the effects of the dumpsite in Candau-ay.
The mayor is aware of the objection by some quarters but he enjoined them to have an open mind. He called on them to be part of a delegation to be sent to Bayawan City in the south of the province to see for themselves how the SLF of Bayawan City operates.
For 10 years, it has been operating without foul odor coming out of the facility. In fact, the recent jamboree was held near the facility a few weeks ago, he said.
According to Remollo, like the previous administrations, he can just let go of this project to avoid the controversy of locating the SLF site in another site within Dumaguete “but I cannot just close my eyes and stay idle; we have to do what is good for our people and we’re not afraid of losing votes,” he said.
Remollo added he cannot frustrate the will of the majority of the people to have a sanitary landfill and so everybody has to sacrifice for every development in the city.
Also coming up is the unveiling of the Dumaguete signage at the view deck of the Rizal Boulevard before the year ends with the markings “Dumaguete Philippines #DumaGeTmE.”
Also anticipated by residents is the installation of CCTV cameras all over the city on the second quarter of next year as well as the groundbreaking of the restoration of the original portion of the city hall on January 8, 2018.
It will be the first in the history of the city that a portion of the old city hall will be restored to its original form and become the regional museum; the front portion will be landscaped all the way to the Quezon Park up to the Belfry tower at the Cathedral.
With all these developments, Remollo foresees a different fiesta and Christmas celebration next year. (Juancho Gallarde/PNA)
