P16-M fountain, P110-M public cemetery in Angeles opposed

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2015/07/03/p16-m-fountain-p110-m-public-cemetery-angeles-opposed-416790
• Friday, July 3, 2015

By Joey Pavia (Contributor)

ANGELES CITY -- Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting opposed on Thursday the planned construction of a P16-million fountain at the Heritage Park here and the P110-million public memorial park in Barangay Sapa Libutad.

In her opening statement during the city council’s special session, Cabigting said: “I am strongly against building a P16-million fountain when thousands of young people of Angeles City are in dire need of classrooms and equipment for the K to 12 program. I believe that there should be a decent place for indigent individuals who have passed on. But a P110-million cemetery in not the answer.”

Opposition Councilor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin queried: “Is the P16-million fountain more important than classrooms for our public students and medicines for our sick and less fortunate constituents?”

“I am not against progress but we should know our priorities. Besides, there is no memorandum of agreement or specific plans for the cemetery yet and how come the city government is already asking us to approve the ratification?” added Lazatin.

Lazatin was the lone member of the city council who voted against the ratification of the P287,710,000 loan pushed by Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and members of the majority bloc of the council.

“Let it be clear that this representation is not, I repeat, is now against progress. I fully agree with the present administration that we should have a heritage district, a public cemetery, barangay halls, a command center and vehicles for each and every barangay. However, may I gently remind the mayor and the people around him that this is the very reason why he made a great comeback in 2010,” said Vega-Cabigting.

“He (Pamintuan) fought against ostentatious display of governance like the P900 million-peso sports complex among others. Today, history might just repeat itself. What will Angeleños gain from a P16-million water spout? Will the dead among the poor be ever at peace in knowing that they now forever will be in a P110-million memorial ‘haven’!,” said Vega-Cabigting.

“The American preacher and poet Edwin Hubbel Chapin describes it best, ostentation is the signal flag of hypocrisy. Let us be true and honest to our constituents. Let us be responsible catalysts of change and progress! Let our stand be,” she stressed.