ILOILO CITY, May 8 (PNA) –- Sta. Barbara town in Iloilo’s second district received P110 million worth of infrastructure projects as direct benefits from the national government for being the site for the June 12 Independence Day celebration.
Sta. Barbara town Mayor Dennis Superficial, who attended the preparatory meeting led by Senate President Franklin M. Drilon at the capitol Friday, said that the direct benefits on infrastructure is the Sta. Barbara church renovation worth P50 million of which the bulk of P30 million comes from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).
Additional funding came from the offices of Senate President Franklin Drilon, Governor Arthur Defensor and Iloilo Second District Congressman Arcadio Gorriceta where Sta. Barbara is located.
Superficial said that for the plaza improvement it’s worth P10 million plus the budget for the tributary roads that makes it around P110 million.
The mayor said that the P110 million worth of projects in Sta. Barbara is aside from the budget for the highway which is undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Superficial said that because of the significant history that unfolded in Sta. Barbara where the Philippine flag was raised on Nov. 18, 1988 that started the revolution in the Visayas and Mindanao in the so-called “Cry of Sta. Barbara” that the town was chosen for this year’s Independence Day celebration.
No less than President Benigno Aquino III will lead the flag-raising ceremony that will also be attended by more than 100 ambassadors and their spouses.
Superficial said that from their usual flag of 30×60 size, which is believed to be bigger even than that at Rizal Park, a smaller flag of 20×40 will be raised during Independence Day.
He said that four LCDs will be installed around the plaza to give even the ordinary residents of Sta. Barbara the chance to see and join the event which is a once in a lifetime experience. (PNA)