Celso’s 2009 major accomplishment: P2.1B projects
The present administration under the Lobregat leadership has implemented a total of P2.1 billion worth of infrastructure projects that had impact on the lives of the general public specifically poor constituents in the barangays.
Mayor Celso Lobregat’s sound fiscal management and the ability to maintain a well balanced mix of Personnel Services (PS), Maintenance and Other Operating Expenditures (MOOE) and Capital Outlay and Equipment (CO&E) led to this sterling achievement.
Since the start of his second term in 2007 up to November 15 this year, Lobregat’s administration has completed a total of P1,786 projects worth P1.65 billion. Another set of projects, covering 236 different projects worth P448.5 are ongoing the bidding process, giving a grand total of P2.107 billion worth of projects initiated under the Lobregat administration.
The projects implemented include 483 road concreting, overlay and farm to market road projects covering a total of 104,456 linear meters worth P449.4 million; 367 flood control projects covering a total of 44,827 linear meters worth P259.8 million; 159 bridges worth P81.3 million; 332 school buildings worth P435.2 million; 115 barangay halls/ day care centers, health centers and hospital improvement amounting to P90.03 million; 14 office buildings/police stations/ fire stations and jail worth P42.5 million; 22 development of parks and gardens/ playgrounds worth P87.48 million; 86 water system projects worth P49.25 million; 51 covered court/ shed/ basketball court/ waiting shed and pathway projects worth P46.04 million; and 157 site development and other structures worth P117.5 million.
Included in the list of infrastructure projects implemented are the facilities given to the police and military and other law enforcement agencies in line with the city government’s continuing commitment to public safety.
The same list includes school building projects and other education-related facilities as part of the city’s continuing support to the education of the youths.
Mayor Lobregat said the city government has also been able to expand the coverage for health insurance beneficiaries and increased allowances for barangay health workers, day care workers, barangay intelligence network and tanods and other volunteers including the financial assistance to uniformed personnel.
Benefits and privileges for the city government’s over 2,000 workers were also implemented without fail. Just recently, the employees were able to receive their extra cash gift of P20,000 each or an increase of P3,000 from last year’s P17,000 each. The city spent over P40 million for 2009 extra cash gift alone.
Still due to the city’s sound fiscal management under his administration, Mayor Lobregat also recently announced that effective January 2010 the city’s rank and file employees will receive the first of four-tranche salary increase.
Lobregat stressed that not all government units in the entire country will be able to comply with the salary standardization law because “the salary increase is dependent on the personnel services (PS) cap on the annual budget.”
“The PS should not go over 45% of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA). But because of our good financial management we were able to lower our PS to below 40%, thus enabling us to implement the salary increase,” Lobregat explained, adding that another requirement is for the LGU to have the financial capability and resources to pay.
The mayor also emphasized that all these efforts are realized because of the full support and cooperation of the City’s Financial Committee and other agencies such as the legislative body and the different departments of the city.
He added that all these efforts to maintain a balanced budget will continue in a bid to provide the best for the residents of the city. (Sheila Covarrubias)