Mayor Carlos “Charlie” Pizarro, Jr. completed numerous infrastructure projects in Pilar worth P370.7 million in seven years, from 2004 until 2011.

    Infrastructure projects include construction and/or repair of road and bridges, flood control, water system and shallow well, barangay halls, covered courts, multi-purpose buildings, day-care centers, senior citizens buildings and public school facilities.

    The bulk of the said P370.7M represented the projects funded by Governor Enrique T. Garcia, Jr. and his son, Albert S. Garcia, who started representing the Second District of Bataan in Congress in 2004.

    The projects were implemented through the Provincial Engineer’s Office and the Bataan Second Engineering Office, respectively.

    The remaining amount came from the local government of Pilar through its 20 Percent Development Fund, as well as from various government offices and national government agencies.

    Pilar became a third-class municipality in August, 2008 and has a proposed annual budget of P62     million for the Fiscal Year 2011.

    Twenty (20) percent of the said budget is generally being allocated for numerous hard and soft projects for the municipality.

    From 2004 until 2011, the local government unit of Pilar spent P76.4 million from its own coffers for its infra projects.

    Governor Garcia, on the other hand, allocated some P138.5 million for Mayor Pizarro’s projects in Pilar during the last seven years while Congressman Garcia contributed a separate P125M for the town’s development.

    The two Garcias also allocated additional funds for Pizarro’s “soft” infrastructure programs which include the “Iskolar ng Bayan” scholarship program, health care, burial plans for the indigents, food and free medicine programs, livelihood and skills training for the unemployed, environmental and peace and order programs, as well as benefits for the veterans, elder lies and even barangay officials and tanods.

    Among the eleven municipalities and one city in Bataan, Pilar ranked as the sixth biggest recipient of Governor Tet’s supporting during the last seven years.  The biggest beneficiary was the town of Orani which took the lion’s share amounting to P284.21M.

    Dinalupihan town was the second biggest beneficiary with a share of P261.29M while Mariveles came in third with P218.91M.

        The other recipients were: Orion (P156.55M); Balanga (P139.95M); Pilar (P138.50M); Hermosa (P132.06M); Bagac (P110.06M); Abucay (P106.02M); Samal (P98.69M); Morong (P61.44M) and Limay (P31.85M).

    Congressman Abet Garcia showed his love for Pilar by allocating a big portion of his Country-wide Development Assistance Fund (CDF) for Mayor Pizarro’s projects.  Among the five towns and one city comprising the Second District, Pilar ranked as the second biggest recipient of Congressman Abet’s fund, next to Mariveles.

    Both Tet and Abet Garcia also supported three of Mayor Pizarro’s major infra projects, namely the Pilar Drug Rehabilitation and Training Center in Liyang, the Bataan Government Center in Alauli, and the brand new storey Liga ng Barangay of Pilar building in Panilao.

    Senator Tito Sotto, then head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency allotted P2.0 million for the start-up operation of the Liyang Drug Rehab and Training Center.
    The Agrarian Reform Community Development Projects also spent some P19.8M for four major farm-to-market road projects in Pilar.

    Barangay-wise, Diwa emerged as the biggest beneficiary of Congressman Abet Garcia’s infra projects which amounted P20.79M from 2004 until June, 2011.

    Panilao and Liyang received identical P15.63M each while Pantingan, the farthest upland barangay of Pilar, had P9.63M.

    The other barangay recipients include Poblacion with P9.73M; Alauli (P7.88M); Nagwaling (P5.88M); Del Rosario (5.36M); Balut I (P4.93M); Sta. Rosa (P4.58M); Waka South (P4.25M); Rizal (P4.13M); Balut 2 (P3.92M); Landing (P3.43M); Bagumbayan (P3.38M); Wawa (P2.93M); Burgos (P1.99); Wakas North (P1.75M); and Bantan Munti (P632,000.00).

    Through these financial support, Barangay Bagumbayan received a new barangay hall and covered court; Balut 2, Rizal, Panilao, Nagwaling, Liyang, Pantingan and Wakas North have new barangay halls, Pantingan also has a covered court; while Alauli,  Balut I, Balut 2, Nagwaling, Diwa and Pantingan have their respective water system.

    Wakas Elementary School and Pilar Central Elementary School also received their respective covered court and concrete stage.         

Source: BPC KOOP VISION, Vol. 14 No. 16, June 18-24, 2011