5 million tourism fund asked to improve old town hall instead

SAGADA MOUNTAIN PROVINCE -  A 5 million  peso tourism building is being questioned for being  projected to be built in front of the municipal building posing  traffic  gridlock and  congestion.

A resolution from the Sangguniang Bayan here asked   the Tourism  Infrastructure And Enterprise Zone Authority  (TIEZA to  reprogram the  5 million peso tourism fund sourced from said agency for the construction of a tourist information center and comfort room in front of the new municipal building to the improvement of the  old municipal  hall  to house said tourism facility instead.

This, as former vice mayor Richard Yodong asked  Department of Tourism  (DOT) Secretary Ramon Jimenez to  realign the  P15 million TIEZA fund for the municipality’s  tourism-related projects to the development of  the Mission Compound  further saying that that projected site for the tourism building is “misplaced”.  

One of the projects jointly identified with the  mayor’s office and the Sanguniang Bayan is  the construction of a comfort room and a Tourism Information Center worth P5 million from TIEZA’s grant of 15 million pesos.

The SB noted that  construction of said structure allows the crowding of the  town hall with nearby buildings thus creating  congestion and unsightly scene in the center of the town and further leads to occurrence of  traffic issues.

A resolution in 2013  was issued by the former SB authorizing  Mayor Eduardo Latawan to  enter into a Memorandum of Agreement  (MOA) for the implementation of identified projects following  letter from TIEZA that revised plans  have been approved after the SB Resolution  in 2012  asked that bidding be  suspended  due to   difference  on project  listing  between the  SB and the Mayor’s Office.  The previous SB then  initiated the proposal  to TIEZA  in 2010 with identified project listings.

Bidding for the proposed projects funded by  TIEZA have already been conducted  following the lifted by the current  legislative body in a resolution superseding the 2012  SB’s suspension of  bidding.

Other projects sourced from the 15 million TIEZA  fund  were bidded September  2015  aside from the  tourism building. These are the construction of comfort rooms  near  Sumaguing Cave, Bangaan, Bumod-ok Falls, and Kiltepan Viewpoint; landscaping of Municipal Park; installation of guard rails at Echo Valley; improvement of pathway to Bokong Falls and Bomod-ok Falls, health and safety program,  and  signages.

link here too  http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/local-news/2015/11/15/sagada-council-wants-p5m-tourism-center-realigned-441697