The town of Panglao will build a new municipal hall befitting that of a tourism destination municipality.

The new municipal government center, which will cost some P200-million, will be built in front of the old municipal hall.

According to Panglao Mayor Leonilo Montero, the project has been in the planning stages since 2014 and will finally commence construction works this year after they were able to earmark P72-million from their annual budget for the first phase of the project.

The first phase encompasses a three-storey building that will house the main offices of the municipality.

Montero said that the present municipal building sustained minor structural damages in the wake of the October 2013 earthquake that hit the province of Bohol.

However, due to the fact that national government funding were more directed to the rehabilitation of municipal halls of other towns that were severely damaged, the municipality of Panglao deferred its plan to build a new municipal government center.

Montero said the municipal government is already preparing to conduct a public bidding for the project. (KB, AD)