Bacolod City Administrator Lorendo Dilag yesterday said the proposed construction of the new government center in Brgy, Taculing, Bacolod City, has the endorsement of the schools and other sectors.

In October last year about 41 schools in Bacolod City had endorsed the plan of Mayor Evelio Leonardia to construct a government center in Taculing.

Dilag said the government center is one of the flagship projects of the Mayor which he hopes to implement during his term. He said the Taculing site was studied by the City Hall Committee based on certain criteria. "There were many who offered to donate their lots but we cannot please everybody," he said.

Dilag and City Legal Officer Allan Zamora have been invited by the Sangguniang Panlungsod to appear on Thursday to clarify Executive Order No. 6, ordering the construction of a city government center in Taculing.

The SP members want to know whether E.O. No. 6 is directing the construction of the government center in Taculing or just expressing the preference of the Mayor for the site. They also want to know whether or not they have participation in the selection of the site in relation to Section 11, Paragraph 6 of the Local Government Code.

Zamora said that based on the LGC, when the move is for the transfer of the seat of government of a local government unit, a public hearing is required and a vote of two-thirds of all the members of the SP. However, when the move is for the establishment of a government center, there is even no need for a legislative action, he said. Zamora said because the law is silent on the participation of the SP in the selection of the site in relation to the establishment of the government center, they should not add to it.

Meanwhile, Dilag said the concurrence of the SP is important in giving the Mayor authority to secure a loan for the construction of the project.*CGS

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