UNDER construction for more than four years, the new Mandaue City Public Market may finally be operational by February next year, if everything goes as planned.
City Engineer Antonio Sanchez said there were still around P15 million worth of work needed to complete the market, the budget for which is contained in the mayor's proposed Supplemental Budget No. 2.
Earlier this year, Mayor Jonas Cortes proposed an allocation of P30 million to complete the market in his proposed Supplemental Budget No. 1. However, the city council only approved half of it.
?We will re-introduce again the (remaining) P15 million needed for the market in Supplemental Budget no.2,? Sanchez said.
Among the major components of the market that still need to be completed are its waste treatment facility, sewage, waterproofing of the cistern tank, power and water connections, and road expansion.
The road expansion involves widening the road leading to the market. This would require part of the parking lot of the nearby Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Complex to be given up for this purpose.
Sanchez said the trees in the portion of the parking lot to be made part of the road would not be cut down. Instead, these trees would be retained to form part of a center island for the road, Sanchez said.
The road would be split into three lanes: two for motor vehicles, and one for pedestrians.
The Mandaue City government, during the administration of former mayor Thadeo Ouano, availed of a P400-million loan to finance the construction of the new public market.
The project met a number of hitches when Mayor Cortes assumed office, particularly lack of funds, due to scrutiny by members of the City Council, most of whom are allied with Ouano, as well as delays in the release of funds by partner agencies, such as the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Mayor Cortes is expected to submit his proposed Supplemental Budget No.2 to the City Council by the end of the month to finance several projects such as solid waste management programs and the purchase of fire trucks.
