Merkado sa Danao has ‘appropriated budget’ — local execs clarify

The restoration of the Merkado sa Danao is underway based on the photo posted by Danao City Government on October 11. | Photo from Danao City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The two local chief executives in Danao City have clarified that the restoration of their public market has already an appropriated budget.

Danao City Mayor Thomas Mark “Mix” Durano and Vice Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III took to their respective Facebook pages their statements on the market’s budget.

The Duranos assured their constituents that the restoration of the Merkado sa Danao has sufficient funds.

“Appropriated ug budgeted nana ang Merkado sa Danao. Mahuman nana siya. Ang 100M (million) government funds mas maayo i-allocate sa uban project sama sa paghuman sa municipal building sa Liloan,” Mayor Mix said.

“Ug naa pay sobra, pwede ipa-lapad ang serbisyo sa Ayuda sa Panglawas sa atong health centers diri sa kinto distrito (fifth district). Magtrabaho sa ta karon og hatag og serbisyo, ato pa isay-say ang atoang nga plataporma ig-abot sa eleksyon,” Mix added.

In a separate post, Vice Mayor Nito also clarified the same.

Vice Mayor Nito said in Cebuano that Danao City can restore the Merkado sa Danao without depending on the help of others.

“Nangita ta og solusyon aron mapabarog ang Merkado. Appropriated ang Merkado. Nag-agi ta og consultation ug sessions ani. Kung permi ka wala sa meetings ug absent sa sessions, dili sad hinuon ka makahibaw,” Nito said, who is also the presiding officer in the City Council.

Frasco: P100M for Danao market

Prior to the publication of the Duranos’ statements on Tuesday, deputy speaker and reelectionist 5th district congressman Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco posted on his Facebook page his intent to give P100 million for the restoration of the Merkado.

“Mga pinalangga kong Danawanon, akong personal nga gituboy si Mayor Migs Magpale aron walay babag sa atoang paghatag ug tabang dinhi sa Danao. Matod ni Mayor Migs, nasunog ang inyong public market, ug mu saad ko nga muhatag ug P100 Million alang sa bag-ong merkado kung si Migs Magpale na ang Mayor. Makalaum kamo niini,” Frasco said during his visit in Danao City on October 14, Monday.

The restoration of the Merkado sa Danao started last year October 18, after it was engulfed by fire on June 2, 2022 that affected at least P52.2 million worth of property.

Budget

Vice Mayor Nito said earlier that the estimated cost for the construction was P400 million, approved by the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

The public market was built 29 years ago and served as a symbol of friendship and cooperation between Danao City and Japan.

The establishment was donated by the government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Nito earlier told CDN Digital that they loaned P500 million from the DBP. The P400 million would be for the public market, while the P100 million would be for the new abattoir.

The old abattoir was located beside the Bureau of Fire Protection, near the public market.

New government center

The new abattoir would be located soon in Barangay Cambanay which has an estimated distance of 3.9 kilometers from Barangay Poblacion based on Google Maps.

Nito said they are planning to establish a new government center at the site of the old abattoir which had around two hectares.

Danao City is a third class component city in northern Cebu. It recently ranked 1st in the Most Improved Component Cities across the country in the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) Program released last August 23.

The CMCI is often used to measure a local government’s performance. It is also used to identify areas in the public sector that need improvement.