Capital town mayor to pursue road, market projects

By Paulo DS. Papa

PILI, Camarines Sur --- After having served his suspension for 5 months, Mayor Tomas Bongalonta finds himself inspired to serve again his constituents, this time, feeling with great enthusiasm and dynamism.

The mayor said that he will be returning to the municipal hall on Tuesday, May 2, this year, or 4 days after his suspension with P50-M that he is going to spend on the concreting of a provincial road in Barangay San Isidro.

The funds, which was already downloaded to the municipal government several weeks ago, was sourced from a national government agency. “We have to start the construction soon as the road in that area is in very bad condition. It is full of potholes due to the operations of big delivery trucks that transport construction materials from the towns of Bula, and Baao,” he said.

Bongalonta was suspended from office due to the administrative case filed against him by the provincial government. The suspension that began last November 28, last year, and will end on Friday, April 28, this year, was the second time.

Aside from the road project, the mayor said that he will be pursuing also his plan to construct a public market. He said the project will be funded with the P240-M he sourced from former president Rodrigo Duterte.

The construction of the 2-storey structure in Barangay Old San Roque will soon be implemented as the funds are now readily available. “I personally went to Davao to meet with the former president [Duterte]. It was the time when I served my first suspension,” the mayor said.

Upon his return, Bongalonta assured his constituents of prompt and expeditious public service, which he said, seldom to be experienced by the locals when he was out of office or was not allowed to perform his mandated tasks as the town’s chief executive.

He expressed disappointment over the practice by some officials of the town when it comes to extending public service to their constituents that takes so much time, especially with regard to the delivery of health and educational assistance.

“Dae man kaipuhan an approval kan municipal kagawad. Pigpapara-paagi pa kaya kun ki isay-isay. Sala iyan! Dapat kun saen ka mahagad nin tabang duman na direkta. Kaya pagbwelta ko ibabalik ko man si dating sistema sa paghagad nin tabang sa munisipyo” he said.

“Ogma ngani ako ta dawa nasa mga naenot akong suspension nakahagad ako fondo ki dating presidente Duterte para sa market kan Pili, mayo man kaya kami nin toltol na public market” the mayor said.

He said, the public market has two floors that will accommodate vendors who sell agricultural products from nearby towns of Sagñay, Ocampo, Baao, Bula, Minalabac and Milaor aside from the town’s local meat and fish vendors.