PAGCOR grants P65M for city projects
September 07, 2021 – State-owned Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) committed to provide some P65 million for the implementation of various priority development projects of the city government to help in sustaining the growth and development of the country’s undisputed Summer Capital.
PAGCOR Chairperson Andrea Domingo made the commitment to Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong during a recent meeting on how the State corporation will be able to help in improving the city.
Mayor Magalong disclosed that some P50 million will be used to put up 2 multipurpose buildings in identified barangays in the city capable of providing the required 1,000-square meter land for the said structures while another P10 million will be used to improve the city-owned Baguio Post Office park.
Further, he added that PAGCOR is willing to provide another P3 to P5 million for the procurement of information and communication technology (ICT) equipment that can be used by the city government to further improve the delivery of basic services to the residents in the city’s 128 barangays.
He claimed he made representations with PAGCOR for the relaxation of the guidelines in the land area that will be provided as counterpart for the construction of the aforesaid multipurpose centers where the required 1,500-squater property for the P25 million funding support was reduced to only 1,000 square meters.
According to him, the committed funds will be downloaded to the local government this year to ensure the immediate implementation of the projects that will boost the sustained development of the city amidst the ongoing Corona Virus Disease (COVID) 2019 pandemic.
The chief executive requested the concerned offices of the city government to look for the barangays that are suitable to host these projects and prepare their plans and specifications of the for submission to the PAGCOR to support the release of the funds.
He urged the concerned offices to speed up their compliance to the requirements for the release of the committed funding because Chairperson Domingo wants these to be realized before she retires from the service and that she wants to leave a legacy as a resident of the country’s Summer Capital.
The mayor expressed his gratitude to Chairperson Domingo for her gesture in committing the release of the funds as these will surely go a long way in supporting the ongoing efforts to sustain the improvement of major parks around the city’s central business district and pursue the development of the barangays.
The city intends to develop major parks around the city with the support of the private sector to ensure that these are well maintained for the gradual and safe revival of the local tourism industry. – Dexter A. See
