Governor meets PB in inaugural session

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia gave a status report on the implementation of the 12-point agenda of her administration, and asked members of the Provincial Board for their support and cooperation through legislative measures during yesterday’s inaugural session of the PB.

Garcia gave her report, after Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr. delivered his inaugural message.

Department heads and some employees attended the inaugural session.

Garcia joined members of the board in their session after a contingent composed of neophyte PB Members Alex Binghay and Sun Shimura as well as Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President Bea Calderon went to her office and escorted the chief executive to the session hall as protocol dictates.

Despite their celebrated political difference, Sanchez had a dramatic welcome of the governor as he offered her a red rose.

In his speech, Sanchez said he will adopt the computerization of all offices at the legislative department and introduced transparency of all offices transactions.

“Sulod ning among administrasyon, akong unang paninguhaon nga bisa’g asa kamong lungsora o barangaya, makahibalo kamo sa mga palakaw o gibuhat sa inyong mga alagad sa Kapitolyo pinaagi sa computerization haron ma transparent ang tanang government transactions ug ‘iwas corruption’ nga maoy tumong ug tinguha sa atong bag-ong pangulong Noynoy Aquino.”

Sanchez said the provincial board will make it an executive-legislative agenda so that the private citizens through websites, servers and the Internet can have access to what Capitol project or transactions they would like to know about.

He also believes that both executive and legislative departments are sincere in the project.

Governor Garcia expressed her thanks to the members of the provincial board for inviting her saying that their invitation and her coming, fulfill not just a tradition, but an obligation which the Local Government Code, the law from which this government draws its breath, expressly prescribes.

Garcia said that the 12-point agenda approximates in real and concrete terms the hopes and expectations of the Cebuanos from the provincial government.

Garcia added “We have together worked on these priorities because they are essential ingredients of what living in the premier province of the country should be all about: infrastructure; water; rural electrification; health; education; agriculture and food production; tourism; private and public sector partnership; public order and safety; information and communications technology; the empowerment of women as well the protection of children; and the environment.

“I have asked my staff to provide you with the details of this 12-point agenda, as well as a detailed report on the progress we have made on each. In these you will see that while together we have achieved a lot, a lot of work remains to be done, together, I ask , therefore, for your continued, and increased, legislative support for these agenda” she said.

Garcia informed members of the Provincial Board that they have received an unsolicited proposal from Manila Water to develop, in a joint venture with the Province of Cebu, the Luyang River in Carmen for bulk water supply, transmission and distribution.

With your support, Garcia said the Province of Cebu will play a strategic role in bringing much-needed water to our cities and municipalities and earn for itself substantial revenues in the process.

“We have built an unprecedented number of inexpensive but high quality classrooms for our public elementary and high schools. But we are far from achieving the ideal classroom to student population ratio that our schoolchildren deserve. I ask that we further increase our support towards this end,” said Garcia.

By the end of this year, Garcia said the shall have completed the construction of three 100-bed capacity hospitals, in Carcar City, Danao City and Balamban town, which they shall operate as tertiary provincial hospitals.

But to achieve this, Garcia informed members of the Provincial Board that she needs their support, through appropriations.

Garcia also narrated the success of the provincial government electrification program, address the health problems and preserving culture and heritage.

“This is continuing dialogue. The office of your Governor is, as it always has been open to any one of you, ready to lend an ear, even a hand, in your own efforts to bring the services of government to every Cebuano,” she added.

She further said, “And of one thing I can be sure-no matter how it is made to appear, however it is written in newspapers, or presented on television, or reported on radio, we agree on more things than we disagree on.”

For his part, Sanchez said that also crisis or no crisis, livelihood programs must always be in the government’s agenda. —Jose P. Sollano/NLQ (FREEMAN NEWS)