MANILA, Philippines -- Expanding and improving national roads, creating IT (information technology) sites, and setting up more schools are just some of the plans Quezon City Mayor Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte has.

Belmonte, who delivered his seventh state of the city address (SOCA) before councilors and village chiefs on Monday, said since 2001, more than P13 billion has been spent by the local government for infrastructure, 53 percent of these used for the improvement of road networks.

He said for this year, they have been in constant coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the construction of major road networks, including roads that would:
● Connect Commonwealth Avenue to Quirino Highway, which Belmonte said would cost around P140 million;
● Connect the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) via Katipunan Avenue and Luzon Avenue; and,
● Complete the Congressional Avenue Extension, connecting Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao Avenues.

“As we create more high growth communities, we must connect them to Metro Manila's major arteries to make growth sustainable. Extensive rehabilitation and expansion of basic infrastructure is essential. Otherwise, they will become barriers to growth,” he said.

Belmonte's “high growth communities,” include the creation of the Quezon City Central Business District (CBD) along EDSA, as well as the creation of the Quezon City Museum inside the Quezon Memorial Park.

The mayor also aimed to transform the city into an IT hub by creating more ICT parks. Highlighting Eastwood City as an example, Belmonte said other IT buildings lined up include the IT-Centrex Building and the Korea-Philippines IT Center.

He added he hoped to make the city a hub for call center companies, saying “we are the location of choice of many information technology companies.”

Local government records revealed that the city has more than 53,000 registered businesses, woth 28 registerd ICT parks around the metro.

Belmonte said that these businesses have provided 18,000 more jobs to people.