Bayambang has biggest budget among towns in P'sinan

                                                Thanks to mega projects

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

BAYAMBANG – Because of the huge projects put by the mayor of this burgeoning town, it has the biggest annual appropriation budget compared to all the 44 towns in the mammoth Province of Pangasinan.

According to Mayor Cezar Quiambao, this year’s budget is P412 million while last year’s appropriation was P435 million.

COUPLE. Bayambang, Pangasinan Mayor Cezar Quiambao and
 actress-wife Nina Jose-Quiambao. Photo Credit: Flickr

First class and large towns like Malasiqui, Mangaldan, and Sta. Barbara have only an average annual appropriation fund of more than P257 million this year.

When he assumed office in July 1 last year, Quiambao cited that the budget of his predecessor former Mayor Ricardo Camacho was P220 million only.

He said the P38 million Development Fund from that budget deducted by the amortization of this town’s loan of P23 million contracted by Camacho would be too measly for any relevant project.

“Binago ko iyong (2016 budget) because itong twenty percent mandatory Development Fund supposedly P38 million 2016 budget binawas iyong pambayad sa utang which is around P23 million, P13 million sa Development Fund’s budget binago ko iyan. P38 million 100 percent sa barangays’development. P13 million ginawa kung P38 million for barangay roads lahat diyan 20,000 square meters na iyan,” he stressed.

Projects that have been finished, being undertaken, and to be implemented from the last year and this year’s huge budgets were and are the construction of the market area, the airconditioning system, taraflex floors, and other parts of the gymnacium, audio visuals, parking space, traffic signals, barangay circumferenctial road, rural health unit, eight police community precints, Close Circuit TVs, annex building for the municipal hall, improvement of the old municipal hall and Sangguniang Bayan’s building, flood control, and many others.

He cited that funds he used to bankroll these mega projects he borrowed from the East West Bank. He added East West billed only a cheaper interest compared to traditional lenders Land Bank of the Philippines, Development Bank, and the Philippine National Bank.

For this year, the Quiambao’s administration waits for the release of the P187 million loans from the bank.

“Meron tayong sinasabing net borrowing capacity may ceiling inaantay na lang iyong Monetary Board of the Central Bank which could happen anytime. Look out kasi subject sa Monetary Board”.

Former Councilor Levin Uy, the Executive Director of Quiambao’s Kasama Kita sa Barangay Foundation, cited that the massive construction in this 77 villages’ town generates employment among the people here.
Quiambao before becoming the chief executive of the local government unit (LGU) here was the number one tax payer where tens of millions of pesos yearly from his corporations and other incomes he remitted here.
Many of those sum used by his predecessor to buy two-tonner mini-dump truck, two 10-tonner dump trucks, one steel roller, one wheel excavator, one two-tonner boom truck, one mini wheel loader, one motor grader, one agricultural tractor, one cement compactor, generator sets, welding machines, generators pumps, and work lights for this LGU.