The province of Antique will soon have a PHP970-million three-story government center here to be funded out of the provincial government savings for at least a decade. Antique Governor Rhodora Cadiao credited the provincial government employees’ prudent use of the budget, enabling them to accumulate savings that will now be used for the construction. ‘The groundbreaking [on Friday] was held on the 66th anniversary that the current capitol was constructed,’ Cadiao said in an interview Saturday. ‘The PHP970 million amount for the construction of the government center may be a hefty amount, but these are our savings for I do not want the provincial government to acquire a loan for the project.’ The current capitol is already 66 years old and constructed during the tenure of the governor’s late father, Josue Cadiao. The building may already be unsafe for the employees, the governor said. Construction will start following a bidding and fulfillment of other documentary requirements. The province set a two-year deadline for the center’s completion. In a statement, Antique Rep. Antonio Legarda assured the province of his and his sister’s support, referring to Senate President Pro-Tempore Loren Legarda.

Source: Philippines News Agency