IRIGA CITY – Mayor Madelaine Alfelor-Gazmen, along with members of Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP), department heads, barangay officials and some invited guests spearheaded the ground breaking ceremony for the city’s new government center, held at the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) compound in Brgy. Sta. Cruz, last Monday.

        With a budget allocation of P100 million, the project, according to Alfelor-Gazmen would start within this month and is expected to be completed after 6 to 8 months of construction.

        The city mayor said the construction of the government center has been in the list of priority projects of her administration since last year after the CEO issued a certification, stating among others that the 70-years old city hall and all government offices in Iriga were either dilapidated or overused.

        Saying that the realization of such infrastructure project would be an offshoot of a collective effort, the lady mayor made her appeal to all concerned to be responsible and do their part in order to ensure an efficient public service.

        Alfelor-Gazmen also expressed optimism that the city’s economic managers would double their effort to achieve bigger local revenue, noting that the P36-M target last year was not reached due to weather disturbances that hit Bicol.

        “We have to come up with a larger local revenue, to be able to reach the goal that we aim for; and be able to become a progressive Iriga,” she stressed.

        Asked what the city government would do to the old city hall once the new one gets completed, the mayor said part of it will be converted to a museum and library while the remaining parts will be offered to any interested parties for commercial purposes.

        The proposed government center and her other priority projects for 2007 were bared during her State of the City Address (SOCA) last Tuesday, Jan. 9 where she also reported the gains of her administration from 2004 to 2006.

        Utilizing video clippings, the mayor’s SOCA was the highlight of the first regular session of SP for 2007 which focused more on culture, values and character, underscoring “the resiliency of the Irigueños” in times of crisis.