EDITORIAL: Complex problem

Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan has thought of one ingenious way to convert the proposed city sports complex by his predecessor into a project that he finds more beneficial to Angelenos and could be credited under his name.

Last week, the city government, through the city council, has called on the Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) to redesign the loan intended for the sports complex and have it released to fund another project.

The sports complex, as things turned out, has been altogether scrapped and might just give way to a city college envisioned by the Pamintuan Administration.

There are projects of past administrations that may be carried out by succeeding dispensations especially if these are above board and significant to the need of the constituency. But Pamintuan, it seemed, did not find the proposed sports complex necessary for the city at the moment.

Pamintuan is bent on improving first the quality of education in the city just as his fellow mayor and co-official in the League of Cities of the Philippines, Mayor Oscar Rodriguez of the City of San Fernando.

The former cabinet secretary has been comparing notes with Rodriguez and the two are now exchanging ideas on how to run their respective cities. The problem with Angeles City is that its coffers are cash-starved and could only undertake an ambitious project like the city college through a loan. But since there is an outstanding loan with the PVB, the city is constrained from acquiring any more loan or, even if they were allowed, may not have the capacity to service both loans.

To redesign the loan for another project is the next most feasible move Pamintuan’s administration could do to avoid both legal infractions and solve its budget problem.