Mayor “saves’ P33M for auditorium

                        FUNDS HE GOT WHEN HE WAS A SOLON




By Mortz C. Ortigoza

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LINGAYEN – The multi-million pesos budgets of the multi-purpose building here have been acquired by the mayor when he was still a congressman.

Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil said that the P33 million infrastructure funds came from the four sources he interceded when he was a last term congressman of the Second District of Pangasinan.

“Kasi one year ni program ko na ito. Itong covered court na ito nakahingi na ako ng pondo. Nakita ninyo ang apat na tarpaulin dito. Iyong tarpaulin na iyan iyong unang tarpaulin nahingi natin iyang amount na iyan sa isang party list. Buhay Party List. Iyong isa naman nanggaling iyan sa Manila Teachers Party List. Iyong isa naman isa sa local infrastructure project ng congressman ninyo so iyong bahagi na iyan. So iyong isa na iyon ay nahingi natin sa isang senator inipon ko, “Bataoil declared during the groundbreaking ceremony at the plaza of the building cum auditorium early this month attended by Second District Congressman Jumel Espino and Second Pangasinan Engineering Office’s District Engineer Editha Manuel of the Department of Public Works & Highway.

P33 million Lingayen Multi-Purpose Building.

 The funds were nearly transferred by these sources to other projects in other parts of the country when the former members of the Sangguniang Bayan (legislature) here objected to the infrastructure.

But Bataoil begged off for the patience of the sources of funds because he told he them he would win the May 13, 2019 mayorship election and eventually implement the project.

“Pero sabi nila papaano iyan Congressman Bataoil dalhin na namin iyang pondo na ito sa ibang project kasi may objection iyong dating sangguniang bayan. Sabi ko “What?! Maniwala kayo mananalo ako, maniwala kayo!”

Bataoil, a former two-star police general, won, as promised, by defeating then incumbent mayor Josephine “Iday” Castaneda whose family reined the mayorship of this capital town for two decades.

The new mayor said he will elevate the flooring of the edifice because the old one was vulnerable to flooding.

“Nasaksihan nila gaano kabilis bahain ang Lingayen. Kaya senyales na kapag si mayor Pol ang naupo uunahin nya ang pabubungan ang auditorium para ‘di nababasa ang mga tao at equipment tuwing may okasyon at aayusin ang drainage system ng bayan,” sabi pa ng supporter. Dapat noon pa naayos iyang mga problema sa plaza dahil iyan ay pagaari ng provincial government pero ayaw nila Mayor Iday at mga members ng Sangguniang Bayan,” a staff of Bataoil told this writer before the May 13, 2019 election.  

Construction of the covered court started last September 10.

 He added that he will retain the basketball court but spruced it up to the standard of the Philippine Basketball Association.

“Ang Phase-2 nito if funds will permit siyempre papa aircon natin iyan para iyong mga bisita iyong mga napapanoond ninyon mga artista at kung sino-sino na mga V.I.Ps pag may PBA dito ay kaaya-aya ang (inaudible) dito”.

He explained that the construction of the multi-purpose building at Barangay Poblacion here generates livelihood and employment for the people here.

“If this will be realized it will spell a lot of development. It will increase economics activities, livelihood, and many others”.