Legazpi City — The city government had spent P500 million last year building various infrastructures and other service-oriented facilities and projects designed to spur economic and social development in the urban and rural villages of this city. City Mayor Noel Rosal in his yearend report, said his administration has embarked on investing on various infrastructure projects that would benefit rural communities of this city.

“More development works will be effected this year focusing activities in the southern villages of this city,” Rosal said. The southern area of this city comprises the rural villages of Tula-Tula, Estanza, Taysan, Homapon, Maslog, Banquerohan and Buenavista, which are considered by the military as insurgency infested places. The report indicated that projects implemented include drainage system, asphalt overlays, bypass and access roads, road widenings, line canals, farm-to-market roads, dikes, flood control structures, bridges, street lightings, and other public facilities.

The city mayor said the projects were built out of the regular budget, and from the priority development assistance fund of legislators and the President’s social fund. Rosal said Albay 2nd Dist. Rep. Al Francis Bichara has poured in millions of funds from his PDAF in pursuing various infrastructure, social, educational and health programs.

“We are very lucky because a number of lawmakers including President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, had spent their PDAF in our city.” He said for this year development works will be implemented towards the southern villages of the city. Rosal was acclaimed by various sectors from the local, regional as well as national level for successfully implementing social-oriented programs.

Report by MS Arguelles, Philippine Information Services