Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Lim yesterday told his constituents that progress has a price. The mayor made the comment when he revealed his proposal to subject the New Growth Center to a referendum. “Nothing comes for free in this world that we live in - the food that we eat, clothes that we wear, our homes, the education of our children, everything comes at a price,” he noted. The mayor said the proposed development plan is no different. “We will have to pay for it,” he declared bluntly. The project will require no less than P750-million, something which the city cannot spend for unless it enters into a loan. Lim pointed out that he did not want any loans during his first three years not because the city cannot pay but because he has to honor loan commitments that he inherited from the previous administration.

The mayor added that while he does not know how the money for those loans were spent, he is under obligation to pay for them. According to the project proposal, 12.5 hectares are needed for the road network alone while 12 hectares more have been set aside for the industrial zone. The mayor revealed that land acquisition will already entail P350-M because he wants the land owners to be adequately compensated. Due to the amount involved, the city will have to set aside P28-M every year for 15 years to be able to pay off the loan. At the same time however, Lim warned that the problems created by wrong priorities in the past will eventually cause a big headache for the city. “Traffic congestion because of the undersized roads and overcrowding due to the tricycle glut, flash floods because we don't have a drainage system and the failure to attract investors to prop the economy and create livelihood will catch up with us,” he said. Lim said that the project needs the support of the people and the only way for them to do that is to involve them in the decision-making process. “I want the project discussed thoroughly, its advantages and disadvantages so that the people will know how to vote when the time comes,” he added. The mayor however pointed out that investments will reap dividends in the same way a farmer reaps what he sows. “Whatever sacrifices we make today will benefit future generations,” he added.