Fontibón is town number 9 in Bogotá, one of the most commercial due to the large number of entrepreneurs of all kinds of products. In addition, in the area is the Capellanía Wetland, recognized as a great District Ecological Park.
Diego Maldonado, local mayor in charge, spoke with EL NUEVO SIGLO about the problems in the area, investment budget and security outlook; among other issues of interest to the community.
THE NEW CENTURY: What are the main problems of the town?
DIEGO MALDONADO: A central problem in the town is the road network, which is found in some sectors in a regular state, what we know disconnects citizens from their daily mobility and creates difficulties with public transport, with their private cars, motorcycles and bicycles.
To respond to this problem, we are going to make the highest investment in history and the location in a single term. We contracted $27 billion for this year, a figure with which we are going to intervene around 50 roads in Fontibón, especially recovering spaces that are mobility corridors.
Our intention is to make a great contribution in synergy with the Road Maintenance Unit, the Urban Development Institute (IDU) and the Local Mayor’s Office, let’s make an important contribution so that citizens can recover these corridors, public transport can travel with guarantees and citizens They can better move around the city.
In addition, this year we are going to invest another $10 billion with this year’s budget to intervene in the local road network. Another current problem is the gradual loss of civic culture not only in Fontibón but throughout the city.
Public spaces have ceased to be respected with the incorrect disposal of rubble, the disposal of sofas, cabinets and garbage in the streets, among others; which generates spaces and critical points for citizens, in this regard, citizen culture campaigns and individual actions are essential for the appropriation of our spaces.
Investments
ENS: How much is the investment budget for the year 2023?
DM: It is equivalent to $47,513,297,000, the largest budget that the Town of Fontibón has had, this is due to the fact that we went from having 10% of current income to 12%, which meant an increase in our investment resource for the present term. .
ENS: What is the current security situation?
DM: In Fontibón, as in the entire city, the situation is somewhat complex. We have seen an increase in the theft of bicycles and difficult situations in an important polygon of the town: Versalles, Atahualpa and Palestina.
Similarly, we have been working in the eastern part of the town in an area that at the beginning of the year presented the problem of apartment theft.
In this regard, we are strengthening the tours of the town in the company of the National Police, coexistence managers, the security reference of the Local Development Fund, and the different officials and institutions; with the objective of listening to the requests of the Fontibonenses and managing effective solutions.
We also hold zonal meetings with the community and we are strengthening the 120 security fronts that exist in the town with the delivery of technological elements such as security kits, alarms, reflectors, cameras, among others, and we make tours in order to improve the safety in school environments
Additionally, we carry out joint patrols between the National Police and the Army in the eight UPZ of Fontibón to minimize the occurrence of crimes that affect citizens.
Mobility
ENS: What is the current panorama in terms of mobility?
DM: One of the problems facing mobility has been the deterioration of the previously mentioned road network, not only on arterial roads but also local ones, due to the fact that, for example, a railway avenue being so affected, the SITP and Transmilenio must change their route to transit through neighborhoods on local roads that are not designed to support the weight of a bus of this size, which increases the problem in terms of road network.
However, it is important to clarify that as a District we are working on major works for the town of Fontibón, such as the new Calle 13 and the Regiotram de Occidente, which will considerably improve the mobility of the people of Fontibón and, in general, of all Bogotanos.
ENS: How do you articulate the actions of the Mayor’s Office with those of the JAC?
DM: We have direct and important articulation on this issue. We work hand in hand with Asojuntas Fontibón, we have just provided 34 Community Action Boards (JAC) with technological, logistical and physical material such as computers, printers, tents, megaphones, chairs, tables and more elements that facilitate the exercise of these citizens who by vocation they work for the community, without receiving a payment in return. For this reason, as Administration, we support this great exercise.
Stake
ENS: What initiatives are you leading from the Mayor’s Office to encourage citizen participation?
DM: We encourage a great bet from Mayor Claudia López and they are the Participatory Budgets, inaugurated in the middle of the pandemic and which year after year has included citizen proposals. This initiative is extremely important because it is 50% of the budget of the Local Mayor’s Office, which is decided by the voice of the citizens who propose, give ideas and especially, with a resource destined to these proposals of our inhabitants.
At Fontibón we have very important projects as a result of Participatory Budgets such as sports, in which we have many groups in different disciplines such as mixed martial arts, basketball, soccer, new trends that include children, youth, adults and the elderly.
We also have environmental issues such as Procedas, which are innovation exercises in which citizens also propose based on and benefiting the environment and their community, receiving the strengthening of the Local Mayor’s Office.
CAPTION
Diego Maldonado, local mayor in charge of Fontibón / Courtesy Local Mayor of Fontibón