DAGUPAN CITY – Three infrastructure projects under the program “Pagbabago Unliserbisyo Tungo sa Asenso” of Mayor Belen T. Fernandez will soon rise following simultaneous groundbreaking ceremonies on December 13 in three separate places in Dagupan.
Fernandez first led the groundbreaking of the two-storey Special Education (SPED) building at the West Central Elementary School 1 (WCES1) to serve as the school for learners with special needs.
Fernandez disclosed how she pitied the learners with special needs enrolled at West Central School 1 when she first saw them in their dilapidated and flood-prone classrooms on her third year as city mayor. Because of this, she decided to allocate funds for the construction of a school for them.
The mayor narrated that in her previous trip to Milpitas City in California, she was inspired how a blind woman at Milpitas City, California was able to finish college and is now teaching other blind children in that school and how a blind student was preparing her presentations for class discussions.
“Even learners with special needs have the right to live. We only need to provide them with skills and what they need in school,” said Fernandez.
For the Phase 1 of the SPED building, Fernandez allocated P3,379,139. She promised to allocate another fund for the purchase of the needed special school materials and equipment for the blind and the deaf.
Fernandez also assured the school officials the construction of an open gym and the elevation of the old school gym of WCES1.
“We will not stop helping education. We need to make our schools comfortable and conducive for our children so that they will be more inspired in coming to school and convince other children to go to school,” said Fernandez.
Fernandez also led the groundbreaking of the two units of Bath and Comfort Room at Bonuan Blue Beach to be constructed at a cost of P6,026,987.75.
“It’s about time that we change our comfort rooms here for the comfort of our tourist and provide them with clean bath and comfort rooms,” said Fernandez.
The two units will have 22 rooms for shower and wash rooms with separate rooms for male and female.
Fernandez wants Bonuan Blue Beach to be a family-oriented beach, where the city will soon introduce water sports in the area with the purchase of jet skis, among others.
Aside from the boardwalk, which will soon rise in the beach at a cost of P75 million, Fernandez also intends to build open sheds to be managed by the city but will be operated by the 78 existing open shed owners in the beach.
The last infrastructure project that broke ground is the covered garage for rescue vehicles at the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) at Poblacion Oeste. The total cost of the project is P6,026,987.75.
Once up, the building will also serve as the emergency operations center of BELEN 911, which operates 24/7, according to Ronald De Guzman, CDRRMO chief. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO/Dec. 13, 2017)