Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez kicked off the 117th Malihaw Festival with the inauguration of seven infrastructure projects in Victorias City on Monday, April 24.

For increased access to healthy foods and to promote public health and safety for Victoriahanons, P23 million was spent for the renovation of the Victorias Commercial Center, a press release from the city said Tuesday.

This renovation and improvement project involved the wet market (P8 million) and the coconut section of VCC (P1.5) million to provide decent, conducive, and safe facilities for both vendors and marketgoers, it said.

The P2 million Multi-purpose Hall and Basketball Court in Bahay Pag-asa, Barangay XIV were also inaugurated.

To cater to the continuing increase in the number of commuters in the city, the LGU also allotted P1.5 million for the improvement of the Victorias City Transport Terminal.

Benitez also inaugurated the P 3 million PNP Sub Station in Villa Victorias, Barangay XIII, with PLt. Col. Roy Rodrigo Gutierrez, acting city police chief.

The mayor also presented the 14 rolling stores with waste bins for local vendors in the City Public Plaza in time for the celebration of this year’s Malihaw Festival.

He also led the blessing ceremony for the newly renovated City Mayor’s Office.

The mayor also led the switch-on ceremony of the 112 solar lights along Osmeña Avenue, Estrella-Estado Road, and the city proper.

Osmeña Avenue has 75 solar lights, Estrella-Estado Road – 22 units, and 15 in the city proper, the press release said.

More than P5 million was allotted for the solar lights project.

The groundbreaking ceremonies of the newly inaugurated infra projects were held last year. *