Further delay on Larap’s senior citizens’ social center project

By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ

THE senior citizens of Larap may have to wait a little more before the job to complete their much-awaited center could begin.

Mayor Ricarte Padilla has informed the president of the seniors in Larap, Josefina Francisco, that the funding allocation for their social center alongside other related construction projects in the municipality had already been exhausted.

Francisco was promised that the work to complete their project would take place during the first quarter of next year.

MWBuzz learned that the LGU-JP had allocated this year about 1% of the annual municipal budget towards such projects.

Ricarte earlier told Francisco that about PHP250,000 had been allotted for the completion of their center, courtesy of the office of Vice-President Jejomar Binay, who is in charge of the program for the country’s senior citizens.

The availability of the Binay fund was confirmed last May, and this was relayed to Francisco by the mayor himself.

This was also confirmed by MWBuzz from the mayor himself last May.

Last month (October), the fund’s availability was again confirmed by Larap baranggay kagawad Raul Retona, the one in charge of senior citizen’s affair, from the Office of the Mayor, and that the project was to start soon.

Earlier, Padilla also told Francisco that the project was to begin last month and that there were funds for its completion, the one allocated by Binay.

The incomplete senior citizens’ building has been sitting at the heart of Larap since 2010.

The initial structure was built by the seniors from money raised from various fund-raising activities such as public dances, raffle draws and donation solicitations, Francisco told MWBuzz last April.