The city government will pursue its high impact and public-private partnership (PPP) projects this 2021, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said.
This is part of the city’s strategic plans for the year along with programs to continue the fight against the Covid-19 as spelled out by the mayor during his first public address for the year on Jan. 4.
“This is the year when our high-impact projects will get going in full steam. We will pursue aggressively our PPP programs because this is the only way we will recover our economy,” he added.
The mayor said the pandemic may have delayed the implementation of major projects the city lined up to fulfill his administration’s 16-point agenda but this year, there is no stopping them from getting started.
“You will recall at midpoint of 2019, when we began our journey together amidst the challenges facing us, we said the best is yet to be. In 2020, we finalized the funding requirements of our vital high-impact projects earlier identified to fulfill our 16-point agenda and this year, there is no stopping us from pursuing the better Baguio that we envisioned,” he said.
City Administrator Bonifacio dela Peña said among the major infrastructure projects lined up for implementation this year are the construction of the youth convergence and sports center and a mini-parking at the Baguio Athletic Bowl with funding of P392 million and P110M, respectively, which are up for bidding middle of February; and the low-cost housing for the indigents, the architectural plans of which are already approved and targeted for implementation during the first quarter of the year.
Other major projects funded by the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Baguio City District Engineering Office are also implemented, including the installation of the main drainage at the Burnham Park Lake Drive costing P95M and the road right-of-way and expansion along Marcos Highway and Naguilian Road.
Dela Peña said the major PPP project to be pursued this year will be the market development venture which will undergo the negotiation stage.
He said the city through the Public-Private Partnership for the People committee received a number of unsolicited PPP proposals which will be reviewed by the committee.
The proposals include the establishment of a zoo at the area adjacent to the Botanical Garden, the contactless apprehension technology, sewerage system rehabilitation, bulk water project, and the bus terminal project at the Baguio Dairy Farm. – Aileen P. Refuerzo
April 27, 2024
