Parañaque lines up big projects via P10-billion fund

From manilastandard.net by Joel E. Zurbano:

The city government of Parañaque announced on Monday it is set to implement three multimillion-peso projects lined up this year following the City Council’s recent approval of its P10-billion budget.

Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the construction of the Baclaran Gateway and People’s Park will start in the first quarter of 2020.

The establishments fronting the Redemptorist Church in Barangay Baclaran were programmed to be the permanent home of almost 3,000 illegal vendors who have been a problem in the area for more than 50 years.

The project will be funded solely by the city government after it turned down the private-public-partnership proposal of a private construction firm.

According to Olivarez, the P120 million project will finally push through after concerned government agencies such as the Office of the President and the Metro Manila Council gave their nods to the proposal.

Another priority project of the Olivarez administration is the construction of the Fisherman’s Warf or the “Bulungan sa Paranaque” in Barangay La Huerta along Coastal Road, where fresh seafoods from Manila Bay will be available for local and foreign tourists.

“We are optimistic that this will be the next tourist destination in Metro Manila. The two-story building will have retail souvenir shops, market, seafood restaurants in the second floor where assorted fresh fish will be available for ‘paluto’ [cooking onsite],” Olivarez said.

Moreover, a wellness center for senior citizens will also be constructed in the area and floating restaurants in the middle of the wharf and Freedom Island, currently being managed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, will be built.

Olivarez also revealed the city government will be allocating more than P100 million for a renewable energy project, wherein a large solar panel board will be built on the roof of the newly-constructed parking building at the city hall.

With the solar panel at city hall being the pilot location, solar panel boards will also be set up in all city-owned buildings, such as the barangay hall and police station, to minimize electricity costs and help protect the environment.