Maybe this is the right time to start this blog. A lot is happening in Butuan and a lot more to happen is expected. With the coming election, there will be more than the eyes can see and a space to write about Butuan City- my beloved place, raped by people with no desire to help her grow and develop.
This will blog is the window.
I beg to disagree.
Maybe you should start opening your eyes and realize that Butuan now has been a steady recipient of Multi Billion development projects that would certainly help her grow and develop further.
Allow me to mention just the big few:
!). 2.2 Bilion Peso 2nd Magsaysay Bridge and By Pass highway – soon to be inaugurated this year]
2) 1.3 Billion Planned Expansion of Bancasi Airport – with Malacanang’s serious folow up to the project, the funds for the Zamboanga Airport has been diverted in favor to Butuan to jumpstart the construction of an International standard class regional airpor in Butuan. Construction shall commence late part of this year or first quarter of 2008
3.) the full completion of the Lower Agusan Basin Development Project – a 4 Billion peso multiple phase project with both irrigation and flood control components. Once fully completed, it shall increase Butuan’s agro productivity and improve the areas for development by lessening the severity of floddings
4.) Butuan Regional Government Center – what local residents did not realize is that a lot of developments is happening and rising on the grasslands of Tiniwisan with the completion of this 6 storey edifice that shall house the regional offices. Road works are on full swing and the building has topped off to its 6th storey level.
5.) 12 thousand seater Megadome and Civic Center- presently if one passes by towards Ampayon, one could easily notice the site development of this planned project. The area has been filled already with gravel and shall comence civil works soon next year.
6.) Butuan Historical Park and River Boardwalk Project – this area along Agusan River from Datu Silongan up to the back of market site along G. Flores has been cleared of all structure to pave way for the board walk development. You can see the site cleared of shanties and slums when you are at Magsaysay Bridge. This project will be designed by Plafox Asociates, a world class design firm that is responsible for the urban developments in Makati and in HongKong.
7.) the 400 Million Baan Viaduct – its almost interconnected to the Magsaysay Bridge and shall improve the land quality from floods in the Baan area.
8.) Proposed Montilla Blvd.- JC Aquino Flyover Project- this project has been endorsed for funding under the President’s Bridge program, hopefully the project shall be approved for construction to comence.
Butuan is not the victim of the things who have accused, but a victim of Pessimism and indifference of those people who refuse to embrace the fruits of development. .
You maybe be right, but you may also consider these:
For years, Butuan is a recepient of many developmental projects. This could simply be translated that the “for years, the city is begging for projects to be funded from the outside”. When will be the time when Butuan can fund its own project without resulting to begging from the outside with conditionalities that the public is unaware?
Many of the projects above are “proposed projects” and “projects that have been there for long but still not completed”. Give me a break!
Call it pessimism. But it’s good if we take a pause and ask the reason of this? Am I just losing hope? Maybe. One thing I know- I am not alone.
where on earth in the Philippines could you find a big project funded wholelly and solely by a Local Government Unit?
if you do not know yet, even the South Reclammation Project of Cebu is loan from ODA of Japan with counterparts from the LGU of Cebu. If you are not aware, your taxes paid here in Butuan are also used to pay the loans the National government is using for this Cebu roject.
again where on earth can you tell me that an LGU is the one solely funding for a project. Even wealthy Davao has loaned a whooping 0.5 B pesos for its urban infrastructure programs.
these are big projects, and that the city is making sure it can get the help from the National Giovernment by elevating all these big projects to the national level so that to maximize the value and benefit of these projects without overstraining the fiscal standing of the city in the medium and long terms.
again, can you tell me what city in the Philippines who is using one hundred percent of its funds for such flagship programs?
probably for barangay road gravel here and there and basketball court here and there and other piecemeal small time programs..yes we can use local funds….but would this the best time Butuan deserves much bigger and high impact projects.
the city has been a victim of poor myopic developmental planning….where before development is just measured by the number of basketball courts, barangay roads and small school houses…and a couple of haphazard concreting here and there stuff.
you mentioned that for years the city has been a recipient of many developmental projects….I say those years are just piecemeal developments where majority of big funds go to neighboring Cagayan de Oro or Davao because previous city leaders and its citizens are too slacked and sluggish pursuing whats best for them.
that 2nd Magsaysay bridge was conceptualized not by Mayor Plaza….it was conceived…conceived….planned and planned then forgotten by somebody else. but the present mayor pursued it at the national level and sought its full completion.
that multi-billion LADP was conceived by a legislative move authored by the late Moling Sanchez….but its only now that the project has received heavy proding for its full completion.
You must be closing your eyes while you are there in Butuan, you said that most of these are not yet completed….you are absolutely correct. BUT the thing that spells the difference is that …the words “ongoing” and “not done” are totally very different.
once you are in Tiniwisan, you open your eyes and there you can see the ONGOING works of the nearly completed edifice of the Regional Government Center.
you stand at the Magsaysay Bridge then open your eyes or better stand at its peak…there you can see the wide area along the riverbanks already cleared of slums and relocated to their decent housing location in Pagatpatan…ready for rthis Boardwalk Development.
you can also travel across to Baan and see the ONGOING works of LADP as they are building the leevee and that ONGOING 400 Million Viaduct.
You can go to the airport in Bancasi and find all those illegal occupants of the lot NO MORE because the area is prepared for the implementation of the Airport Expansion program.
You may find some programs proposed….you are correct in that observation….but of course where does big programs start?,….they start as proposals !…..what’s important here is that somebody is ALREADY thinking and planning for their immediate need and implementation in the future and working for their completion.
Ang problema kadtong walay proposals….kutob ra barangay roads, basketbol courts ug mga baylehan ug uban pa na ginagmay ug short vision, low impact na mga programa.
Burtuan deserves something big….something more..
The kind of proposals, projects, programs an LGU has…. directly reflects the kind of PAGLANTAW sa mga lideres niini.
The progress of this city does not lie solely on the hands of the Mayor, nor just to a few leaders…..it lies also on the people whose civic participation is the driving force for an empowered development
Hello pidro, it’s good to have another Butuan here at wordpress. I’ll be eyeing your posts from time to time. Good luck!
why do people are quite defensive? as if what they say is gospel ….
assuming all of the above arguements are true, why is it that butuan is still like this? too far behind from the other cities of the country when it comes to development? just think it over, “butuan is already there, before the philippines”.
think about it?
btw, i am just too curious of this:
“The progress of this city does not lie solely on the hands of the Mayor, nor just to a few leaders…..it lies also on the people whose civic participation is the driving force for an empowered development”
Never in my post that I mentioned that the Mayor is the reason why. I am a big supporter of his vision when it comes to development. Maybe it is the people that surrounds him that makes this city stink.
Will post more about that.
define “too far behind” please….
state comparative numeric data that would support your claim that Butuan is “too far behind” compared to other cities.
assumptions and malicious rumors are the ways of the fool