BAUKO, Mountain Province – Mayor Abraham B. Akilit revealed that concerned offices of the local government are now preparing the plans and design for the construction of a 4-storey market structure that serve as a one-stop shop in the locality once completed.
Akilit, who has been aggressively advocating for the Abante Bauko development program, said that the local government will be obtaining a loan from government financial institutions to bankroll the implementation of the market project that will help spur the significant increase in economic activities in the locality in the future.
“We are working on the final stages of the plans and design for the proposed market structure that will be erected in a lot in Abatan so that we will be able to use it as a one-stop government center with sufficient parking components to decongest crowded streets in the town proper,” Mayor Akilit stressed.
The local chief executive explained that the 5,000-square meter lot is owned by the Anglican church and the market facility will be co-managed by the property owner through a joint venture agreement based on the equity of both parties.
According to him, one of the major components of the structure that will be erected in the future is the proposed central terminal for public utility vehicles to help decongest the junction of Abatan-Bontoc, Abatan-Mabaay and Abatan-Bagnen road networks and guarantee the smooth flow of traffic in the rapidly growing town center.
He claimed government financial institutions are willing to bankroll the implementation of high impact development projects such as the put up of public markets to help spur the increase in economic activities in developing town centers around the region.
Bauko is one of the fastest growing urban centers in the province with the largest voting population and plays host to scenic ecotourist destinations being frequented by foreign and domestic nature-lovers.
Akilit expressed his gratitude to the Anglican Church for allowing its property to be utilized for a long-term join venture agreement primarily geared towards improving the overall socio-economic situation in the locality pursuant to the government’s private-public partnership.
He claimed details of the agreement and the loan will be divulged as soon as the terms and conditions of the instruments will be finalized for transparency purposes.
For the past several years, the municipal government had been intensifying its efforts to establish the appropriate linkages with concerned government agencies and the private sector to provide the needed financial and technical assistance for the sustained improvement in the town’s economic situation beneficial to the present and future generations.
Akilit said the amount of loan that will be obtained by the municipal government will depend on the outcome of the plans and design of the 4-storey market structure that will serve as the town’s show window being one of the prime ecotourist destinations in the province considering the presence of untapped scenic tourist spots that will serve as the town’s major economic driver in the future once fully developed.
By HENT
