Paz Radaza swears to deliver the goods

CEBU, Philippines - Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza, in her inaugural speech yesterday, vowed to continue to concentrate on her five-point agenda for a more developed and progressive city for the next three years.

The mayor said her administration will focus on the expansion and improvement of the educational system, the health care development system, investor confidence through peace and order, the calibrated infrastructure development, and the observance of a humane-driven governance in improving the benefits of the city government employees and workers. 

In her 28-minute inaugural address before the 15-member 12th city council, barangay officials, business sectors, and government agencies, Radaza admitted that to be a mayor of a city like Lapu-Lapu City is not an easy task.

“The shoes that I am about to fill is quite large, the tasks I am about to undertake…very unforgiving. Yet we strive for a Lapu-Lapu City where socio-economic growth is geared towards total sustainability. A city wherein every ordinary citizen can feel the positive effects of its economic growth,” Radaza said.

She said local officials will put all their resources together to turn “the city into a healthy haven for tourism, business, investment, residence and recreation, with empowered citizens living in a safe, clean and peaceful environment conducive to multi-sectoral interaction, good governance, and sustainable development within its political jurisdiction including its municipal waters.”

Since Lapu-Lapu City is also represented by her husband, Congressman Arturo Radaza, the lady mayor said the city’s transformation into a highly urbanized city was accomplished through the previous administration of former Mayor Boy Radaza. This capped the nine-year journey of our city towards maturity. Today, we can finally say… we have arrived!”

She said she will stick to the five-point plan in order to sustain the phenomenal growth in the island that has been enjoying and extending the best services of a local government that could offer to their constituents.

In education, the mayor said she has laid out the foundation and worked on the dynamics that will ensure the improvement of educational support system by giving pupils and students the best schooling that the city can afford.

Just recently, the Lapu-Lapu City government opened the city college to the public in consortium with Cebu Trade University and Cebu Normal University.

The Lapu-Lapu City College will play a major part in the Educational Component to the 20/20 Vision for Lapu-Lapu City, she said.

“My administration will focus on every detail to further boost the City College with the hope of producing world class graduates four years from now,” she said.

In health, she is tasking the City Health and the City Hospital to jointly undertake the study and review of the health care delivery system regarding areas of concern and priority.

“I am of the understanding that our City Hospital will have to be upgraded and revitalized so that it will become an institution for effective treatments and rehabilitation,” she said.

The mayor’s third priority is to keep an open line for communication with investors by improving the police force to deliver results during the first 100 days.

“One of the gauges that investors look into prospective investment sites is the peace and order situation in the area and most importantly how it is being handled by the people responsible for its upkeep,” she said.

Radaza also stressed that the city’s medium term and long-term plans are geared towards transforming the city in the year 2020 to be at par with First World cities as her fourth agenda.

She said infrastructure development will be a key component in the city’s progress, which she will be working closely with the City Planning and Development Office as well as the City Engineering Office.

She said her administration will also look into ways of improving the benefits of government employees and contractual workers.

“This is to ensure that they are able to provide decent living conditions for their families. A properly compensated workforce will surely perform better, do justice to their work and earn their keep,” she said.

Before ending her speech, the mayor said she will be working harder despite the challenges and obstacles that she will be facing in the near future.

“I am clearly aware of the difficulties and challenges that I am about to face. But my undying loyalty to the Oponganons demands that I will be harder and stronger than the obstacles ahead. The position of the mayor that I am about to assume now is a great privilege that I must earn everyday,” she said.

After the inaugural message, Congressman Radaza administered the ceremonial oath-taking to all newly elected officials including Vice Mayor Marcial Ycong and the 12-newly elected city councilors in front of the city hall.

Rep. Radaza in a three-minute message also thanked city residents for electing him congressman. (FREEMAN NEWS)