Chiong assures: Industrialization will not hamper basic services

CEBU, Philippines - Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong assured that the city government will not lose focus on basic services such as social welfare and education now that Naga is gearing up to becoming an industrial hub.

“We will support this growth but not at the expense of the health and well-being of the people of Naga,” Chiong said in an interview with The Freeman.

Naga is host to several industrial firms, including Kepco-Salcon Power Corp., Sarimanok Feed Mills, and Serilyn Agro.

These companies have provided jobs to residents in the city and contributed millions to the city’s coffers, but Chiong admitted that there are drawbacks, especially on people’s health.

To address this, Chiong said the city’s doctors will now be visiting the barangays four times a month. There are 26 barangays in Naga City.

“This way, the city government can attend to the medical needs of our constituents, not only to provide medical care but to give health advisories to the residents as well,” Chiong said.

The doctors, he said, will be required to submit their data to the city government for assessment. Each doctor will be paid P2,000 per visit.

The city has allocated P28.5 million for health and medical programs.

There are at least 20,000 indigent families enrolled to PhilHealth so they can be easily admitted to hospitals when necessary. The city has at least 150,000 residents.

“Akong damgo nga moabot unta ang panahon nga wala nay taga Naga nga balibaran og hospital tungod wala siyay ikapundo. I believe that as a PhilHealth card holder, they have to admit the patient,” Chiong said.

Meanwhile, Chiong said education remains to be among Naga’s top priorities. Chiong said the city is targeting a 1:45 classroom to student ratio.

The city has appropriated P30,000 for each of its scholars or P3 million for all 100 beneficiaries. This budget will reportedly be doubled every year to accommodate more poor, but deserving students.

Chiong said now that Naga is a city, it is hoping to get a bigger internal revenue allotment. The city used to get P20M IRA share a month before the Department of Budget and Management slashed the amount pending the controversial cityhood case.