This refers to the letter of Eusebio S. San Diego. (?City richest in income, poor in basic services.? Inquirer, 10/16/09)
From the first year of the Belmonte administration, the Quezon City government has been doing its best to meet the needs of all sectors of the city?s population, including the urban poor.
It is sad to note that San Diego sees the Quezon City yellow multi-cabs but not the new infrastructure, especially the new roads and bridges, big public school-buildings, health centers and police stations with patrol cars and crime-fighting equipment acquired by the Quezon City government. Perhaps, he also failed to notice that Quezon City has redeveloped and upgraded 89 parks and repaired 276 others.
And there are so many new good things to see in Quezon City, if only we would look around.
About San Diego?s complaint regarding an entrepreneur doing business right outside the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs, this matter is now under investigation by that office and other authorities concerned.
As regards the uncollected garbage, it was probably among the huge piles of garbage and debris left by the ?Ondoy? floods in the city. Mayor Feliciano Belmonte himself supervised the teams of City Hall people and volunteers in the cleanup and clearing work after the floods had receded. City Hall also fielded additional dump trucks for the cleanup.
As for San Diego?s comment that Quezon City should earmark funds for a higher cost-of-living allowance for teachers, City Hall under the Belmonte administration has made it a policy that virtually everyone in the national government agencies and offices in the city, who serves primarily the people of Quezon City?the policemen, firemen, jail guards, court employees, public assistance lawyers, Comelec personnel, prosecutors, judges and teachers?must receive an allowance from the city government. All these allowances now total P525 million.
?GREGORIO T. BAÑACIA,
city government office head 3,
Public Affairs and Information Services Office,
15/F Executive Bldg.,
Quezon City Hall, Quezon City
