RESIDENTS of Masantol town will soon have a new place for evacuation and recreation as the local government here and El Circulo Masantoleño broke ground on Thursday for the new facility.
El Circulo Masantoleño member and Project Coordinator Dingo Bonifacio said the civic center is part of the P20-million facility program funded by the non-government organization and local and provincial government.
It will be built on a P1.2-million, 6,000 square-meter lot purchased by the organization along Kalsadang Bayu in Barangay San Nicolas, he said.
“We started this project during the term of former mayor Peter Flores and we are happy that Mayor Dan Guintu pursued it. It is initially intended to provide an open space for our kabalens here but our good Mayor Guintu had a bigger objective for Masantol,” Bonifacio said.
He added that the supposed open space will now be a multi-purpose area which can be used for meetings, parties, conferences and as evacuation center during times of disaster.
Guintu, for his part, disclosed that the initial P5-million covered facility was funded by El Circulo Masantoleño while the provincial and local government will spearhead its improvement with a budget of P5.8-million.
“Meron na tayong covered area pero ang sabi ni Governor Nanay (Pineda), i-cover na siya ng buo pati kisame para mas ligtas sya at mapakinabangan ng taga-Masantol lalo na kapag tag-ulan,” he said.
He stressed that the facility is just one of the many projects which are products of the fruitful public-private partnerships in town.
Guintu expressed his gratitude to Masantoleños from all over the world who generously donated funds for the realization of such project.
He stressed that he will continue to utilize the remaining open area of the donated lot by constructing other facilities to improve delivery of public service.
He disclosed that he is planning to develop a park in the area where senior citizens and other residents can visit and relax during their free time.
This is aside from the water district facility and learning centers that currently stand on the public compound.
