Aris brgy bldg spree now worth over P161M
By JUNE S. BLANCO
A TOTAL of 230 out of 346 barangays in Bohol’s 2nd District are now building barangay halls, expanding or adding rooms to existing ones or building multipurpose buildings that also serve as evacuation centers in case of calamities.
This after Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado gave these barangays an average of P700,000 each from the amount he inserted into the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the current General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Aumentado expressed confidence that he will complete the distribution to the remaining 116 barangays within this, his second term as congressman.
Just like his namesake father and immediate congressional predecessor Erico Boyles Aumentado, the son said the amount is for counter-parting with the funds of the concerned barangay and such other funds that it may source elsewhere. This way, the solon explained, the barangay can build bigger projects.
He cited the barangay hall and covered court of Sto, Niño, Inabanga now under construction costing P850,000 and P2 million respectively.
The covered court can double as an evacuation center should the need arise. Aumentado said this realization came in the heels of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol on October 15, 2013.
He explained that while scientists have said an earthquake of such magnitude strikes only once in around 100 years, Bohol cannot discount the probability of, God forbid, floods, typhoons, fires and other calamities. This prompted him to pursue the construction of multipurpose buildings with rain collectors.
The rain collectors can provide water especially in islands. The stored water buttresses the supply from artesian and deepwells, or even from waterworks systems. The latter will save the barangays in payments for water bills. It can even be the main source should the waterworks pumps break down.
Other barangays, he said, added rooms to their barangay hall to double as a meeting place for say, women’s organizations. Still others are allocating one room to serve as office, meeting place and clinic for barangay health workers to give first aid to residents who might need immediate attention while waiting for transportation to the hospital.
Corollary to this, Aumentado is also distributing medical equipment to the barangays. This time, the funds are from the Department of Health (DOH). The equipment include, but are not limited to, weighing scales, stretchers, blood pressure apparatus and nebulizer.
