QUEZON City mayor Feliciano Belmonte started the ball rolling for the redevelopment of the Quezon Circle to revive it as the central park of the metropolis and give it due importance as the shrine of President Manuel Quezon. The late president and his wife, Aurora, are buried in the monument in the center of the park.

For starters, Belmonte has ordered an inventory of the Circle in preparation for the return to city of its management. Former Mayor Brigido Simon Jr. transferred its management to the QC Parks Development Foundation, Inc. on September 27, 1988. The park is scheduled to be turned over to the city on July 1, some 20 years later.

Belmonte formed the QMC inventory committee to oversee an itemized inventory, saying that prior to the actual turnover, “it is imperative that an inventory [be conducted] of its properties, assets, and liabilities, and contracts and such other operational matters in the administration and management of the park.”

 He said the inventory will be jointly conducted by the committee and the foundation represented by former Quezon City vice mayor Charito Planas and Justice Emilio Gancayco. The inventory report is expected to be completed within a month.

City administrator Paquito Ochoa Jr. was named chairman of the committee with parks development and administration head Zaldy dela Rosa, city engineer Joselito Cabungcal and Gerardo Magat, special consultant on planning, as members

Five main roads radiate from the Circle: Commonwealth Avenue, North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, East Avenue now E. Rodriguez Avenue, and Kalayaan Road.

Belmonte also wants the inventory to focus on contracts that the foundation has entered into, ongoing projects, business arrangements in addition to the usual financial items to be looked into, to be able to plan better how to manage the park, as well as see if there are agreements that could hobble development.

Belmonte had started the redevelopment of the Circle even before it was decided to get it back from the foundation with the construction of the P49-million pedestrian underpass in October last year. It links City Hall with the park and gives park goers a safe way to cross the 5-lane circle road without spoiling the view. 

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QUEZON City mayor Feliciano Belmonte started the ball rolling for the redevelopment of the Quezon Circle to revive it as the central park of the metropolis and give it due importance as the shrine of President Manuel Quezon. The late president and his wife, Aurora, are buried in the monument in the center of the park.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Gunmen staged an ambush killing a Marine and wounding another in Sulu.

A police report disclosed that the incident took place Tuesday in sitio Dan Puti, barangay Liang, Patikul.