BY ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
‘GREATNESS’ is now in the pipeline for Silaynons.
Four major projects billed as “Mega 4” are bound to happen anytime soon in Silay City or the “Little Paris of Negros”. These include the new city hall, community college, new public market, and sports complex.
In a chance interview with Mayor Joedith Gallego over the weekend, he candidly bared that the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) already gave him the authority to negotiate for a P1-billion to P4-billion loan with two major banks for this Mega 4.
“As far as we are concerned, we don’t have any problem with both Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP),” Mayor Joedith said.
The Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) had already approved their credit limit.
Thus, the loan, the mayor said, will be extracted as follows:
* new city hall – P500 million
* community college – P300 million
* new public market – PP300 million
* sports complex – P300 million
“So, maybe within this year, one or two of these four projects will gonna start as soon as we’re done with the bidding processes.”
The rest, he furthered, will be next year.
‘TOO PRODIGAL’
Three months prior to the May 9 elections, the administration of ex-mayor Mark Golez already broke ground at Hacienda Makina in Barangay Rizal the P1-B new city hall.
Such, projected to be another tourist attraction-cum-heritage center for Silay, will be lolling on a 6.5-hectare lot property donated by the Valderrama and Jalandoni families.
However, Mayor Joedith realized that it’s “too prodigal” to spend P1 billion just for a new city hall.
Hence, he decided to make modifications by trimming down the proposed budget to only P500 million.
Then, of the remaining half, P300 million will be earmarked for the establishment of a community college just beside the new city hall.
In short, it’s hitting two birds with one stone within the donated lot.
So, the balance of P200 million will be added for the construction of the new market and sports complex, the mayor said.
Venue for the new market will still be at the present market site.
The modern-slash-state-of- the- art sports complex, on the other hand, will be erected along the airport road in a lot property donated by a certain Norma Jison.
“So, that’s the reason why that instead of P1 billion as originally proposed by the Golez’s administration, we decided to make it P1.4 billion to come up with these four major projects.”
PASSION FOR EDUCATION
Well, hearing Mayor Joedith’s narrative for this Mega 4, I can’t help but admire his immense passion for education. And for this very reason, he (really) included the establishment of a community college to be part of the Mega 4. He stressed among the legacies he wanted to leave for Silaynons, one must be something related to education.
This community college, he believes, will be a big, big help for the poor but deserving young Silaynons to craft their dreams for a better future.
Aside from this, he said the city will also provide free buses for those Silaynons studying in college outside of Silay.
And more than that, the mayor is also proposing to give free monthly meal allowance for each Silaynon college student. “Probably, this will happen next year with our new budget.” Splendid, indeed!
‘BIZARRE’
But it’s really “bizarre” to think that Mayor Joedith can hurdle the SP approval for the loan. Imagine that from vice mayor down to the 12 councilors, including the Liga ng mga Barangay’s and Sangguniang Kabataan’s ex-officio members, none was his party mate.
In politics, being a “lone ranger”, experts say, is next to a “suicidal crusade”. But Mayor Joedith’s case is, perhaps, an exemption. Or he already mastered the “art of haggling”.
So, with no holds barred, I asked him: What really, really happened?
He just smiled. Then, in Hiligaynon, he said: “Wala man ko problema Migo Erwin. Ginplastar ko man lang sa ila kon ano ang tuyo ko kag ginsiling ko lang nga para man ini sa kaayuhan sang tanan.”
Well, forgive me but until now, Mayor Joedit’s case remains a puzzle for me. So, I keep on asking myself: Is there something “magical” or a “magnet” in this guy?
SANS ARTIFICES
Well, being pro-poor is Mayor Joedith’s “political trade mark”. Winning as a “moneyless” bet against Golez was considered a remarkable upset in Silay’s colorful political history.
Mayor Joedith is the very first “commoner” who became mayor of Silay, a city dominated by sugar barons. But being a former company guard of the AIDSISA Sugar Central-turned-village chief-turned-vice mayor, Mayor Joedith’s very asset: sincere public service.
Too, he’s known for being humble and down-to-earth that truly endeared him to most Silaynons. That’s why in any casual conversation, his humility “radiates”. Whatever he says, all’s direct to the point sans artifices. And, probably, this made him “in a class by itself”.
In sum, may God guide the good guard!/PN
