The Local Inter-Agency Council (LIAC) convened Wednesday afternoon a meeting of all agencies with unfinished projects under the Zamboanga City Roadmap to Recovery and Reconstruction (Z3R) as the city government prepares for the incoming administration.
City Housing Czar Rodrigo Pagotaisidro, who presided over the meeting on behalf of LIAC chairperson Mayor Beng Climaco, stressed that works on most if not all unfinished Z3R projects will have to resume by end of June under the new administration.
“We expect all (unfinished) projects will restart in full swing by July,” Pagotaisidro said, adding these projects had to be stopped due to the election ban in connection with the May 9 local and national elections.
The projects include the P20 million footbridges under the City Engineer’s Office, the waterway or open canal under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the power and water connections under the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) and the Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD), respectively.
Also to resume is the clearing operations and demolition of structures encroaching on the waterway project. However, the demolition will only proceed after meeting with owners of the illegal structures, at which they will be asked to voluntarily tear down their structures or face clearing and demolition operations.
Pagotaisidro explained the importance of the waterway (open canal) project as it will not only benefit the Z3R communities but also other barangays like Tetuan, Tugbungan and Sta. Catalina as it will serve as the outflow of flood waters coming from those outlying villages.
Meanwhile, Pagotaisidro has asked Zamcelco to prioritize the power connections to the temporary shelters in Rio Hondo (with 13 families) and Masepla in Mampang (with 22 families) after clearing them with illegal connections, the reason for disconnection.
LIAC will once again be meeting regularly, at least once a month starting first week of July under the new mayor. (Vic Larato)
(Source: City Government of Zamboanga Facebook page)