Ligad: Princesa Tower will not affect other projects
3D Render of Princesa Tower designed by Engr. Rolando S. Garcia, with a height of 680 meter-tall, it will be the second tallest building in the world next only to the 830M tall Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Photo from puerto princesa city information office.
After the City Government announced the planned “Puerto Princesa Tower,” netizens protested on social media saying that the project is only a “Vanity Project.”
City Information Officer (CIO) Richard Ligad defended that the proposed “Puerto Princesa Tower” will not affect other projects of the administration and emphasized that it is not funded by the city but a project that will be funded through “crowd-sourced funding.”
“Hind na-emphasize
kung saan kukunin. So yun lang, kaya nga sinasabi natin na itong plan ay hinanda lang natin. Pero ang pondo hindi sariling pera natin, ng Puerto Princesa, dapat nga kasi ay ayusin muna natin lahat ng dapat ayusin,” he said
Ligad also explained that there is nothing wrong with dreaming for a big project. He said that this proposal aims to create an iconic landmark for Puerto Princesa just like other cities of other countries.
He added that the project will be beneficial to the city, and if ever there is someone or an agency who is willing to fund the said tower, it will be one of the newest tourist attractions in Puerto Princesa.
“Hindi naman natin sinabing kailangan matapos natin yun na out of our own pocket ay gagastusan natin. Hindi tayo gagastos dyan kasi marami pa tayong dapat pag gastusan pero di nangangahulugan na di tayo pwede mangarap. Papaano kung may gusto mag pondo niyan, sa atin din naman mapupunta yan
another tourist destination din naman yan. Di ba kung pupunta ka ng San Francisco, meron silang San Francisco Bridge. Tapos yung Eiffel Tower sa Paris, so may icon, pero di naman masama na tayo magkaroon ng icon, ano? Ang masama kung wala tayong pera tapos mag gaganun tayo eh hindi nga naman tayo ang mag popondo doon,” LIigad further said.
The CIO added that though there is a plan for the tower, he said that it is guaranteed that the projects already established and other needs of the city will remain a priority and won’t be set aside.
“Naghahanap tayo ng kung sinong pwede mag pondo. Priority pa rin ‘yun hindi pa rin ‘yun maapektuhan. Nag handa lang tayo ng plano para kung may ibang bansa na gusto mag donate o yung national governmentt, pondohan nila, at least may ready tayo,” said LIgad.
He also explained that there is no need to worry about trees being cut and destruction of the environment with the project for the project is planned to be built on the race track at Bgy. Sta. Monica.
“Sa mga nagsasabi naman na may puputulin tayong puno, wala tayong puputuling puno, eh sa race track itatayo yan, kalbo na yun eh,” he said.
Ligad also stated that the plan will always be ready for those who want to donate funds and said that there will be no time target for its accomplishment.
“Wala tayong taon na target bago sya maaccomplish, ang importante, andyan yung plano, andiyan yung pangarap natin,” he said.