PUGO, La Union – Some P40 million worth of infrastructure projects will be released to the municipal government by the provincial government following its excellent performance in the implementation of development projects that had contributed in improving the overall status of the fifth-class municipality in the various aspects of governance in the first eighteen months of its new leadership.
Gov. Francisco Emmanuel Pacoy R. Ortega III served as the town’s guest of honor and speaker during its 106th founding anniversary and the launching of the 2nd edition of the Tinungbo festival on Monday. He said that because of the teamwork, unity, and cooperation of local officials and residents that contributed in improving the overall status of the municipality, the provincial government will be adding an additional P10 million in the form of projects, aside from the P30 million he already authorized as his gift to the municipality for being a model in terms of transparent and accountable governance where development was evident.
The governor sourced out the P30 million for Pugo’s key infrastructure projects from the province’s share in tobacco excise taxes. The provisions of Republic Act (RA) 7171 mandates that tobacco-producing local governments will have a share from the excise taxes being paid by tobacco companies to the government.
“We are elated over the fast-paced development of Pugo. That is why when Pacoy is happy, he becomes generous to make the people of Pugo happy during the month of December which is the time for merrymaking,” Ortega stressed as he announced the release of the additional P10 million worth of projects for the local government.
He commended the local government headed by Mayor Priscilla Marrero-Martin and Vice Mayor Isidro Dacpano for leading the way in instituting change in the municipality wherein its programs and projects are now aligned with the province’s endeavor of becoming the agri-tourism haven of the north by the year 2025.
Ortega underscored that the province has to maximize its potentials as a producer of agricultural crops. It was recently adjudged as one of the seven provinces given the Rice Achievers Award for significantly exceeding the projected rice production, and as a tourism haven because of the internationally-recognized surfing in San Juan town, the Tangadan Falls in San Gabriel, the Tapwakan River being the cleanest and safety inland body of water not only provincewide but also regionwide, and the Pugo Adventure (PUGAD) in Pugo town.
Mayor Marrero-Martin expressed her gratitude to Gov. Ortega for the approval of the proposed infrastructure projects that will be implemented in the municipality, saying that the release of the funds for the programmed projects will definitely contribute in sustaining the gains of the development efforts of the present administration that will continue to uplift the status of the municipality from where she took off 18 months ago.
Martin assured that the implementation of the projects will be done with utmost transparency so that the people will be able to witness the difference in the prevalence of a transparent and accountable local government. By HENT