Residents must do their share

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines  — Mayor Dan Neri Lim, in his recent state of the city address (SOCA), told residents not to rely their fate entirely on city government's shoulders.

"Your government will help you address your basic needs and even provide opportunities for progress and development. But you also have to do your share," he told the crowd.

"The bottom line is this: For those who want to succeed, you can count on your city government to support you aggressively. But for those who resist responsibility, not even the United Nations can pull you out of the pit. You alone will decide your fate."

The mayor said that today the people should make a choice because the future is at stake. "We must choose whether we want to return to our old ways or move forward with a new resolve never seen before in the history of our city."

Lim said people should come first. "All other claims to progress do not mean anything if our people are neglected and unserved," he said, as he outlined his programs with health and education, especially among children, on top.

Lim said his administration has taken care of the health and social needs of the residents, with the launching of the "Blue Card" that provides free hospitalization and medicines to thousands of beneficiaries in the barangays through the City Health Office.

"We have also deployed doctors in our health care centers to attend to the basic health care requirements in our communities," he said.

Te Botika sa Katawhan of Deputy Mayor Mario Uy provides free medicines to qualified senior citizens and indigents, the only one of its kind in the entire country that now covers 3,841 card holders or families, said Lim.

On education, the city government continues to distribute and provide free school uniforms and school supplies of children studying in public elementary schools. "This year, we have a total of 9,857 beneficiaries," he said, adding that the city has also given subsidy to qualified college students.

Lim said his next development target is infrastructure by rehabilitating old roads "to jumpstart our economy."

The mayor also cited the LGU's plan to "undertake the city-wide drainage project to catch up with the demands of our time. There was no effort to address this in the last 20 years so the city is paying a high price for its neglect."

On climate change threat, the mayor said that his administration is studying measures to cushion the risks of the disasters. "The global warming phenomenon has endangered the lives and properties of those living on the edge of the water," even if this means huge expenses on the part of the city, he said.

Lim said the city, on its environmental concern, will go into the comprehensive drainage project and the development of the Mabaw Reef. "This will be the city's showcase in coastal resource management," he said.

Beautification of the beaches in Mansasa, Poblacion 1, Cainggit and Ubujan are also in the priority development thrusts to "recover the lost beauty of our shorelines," said the mayor.

On peace and order, Lim vowed to continue the Purok Patrol as a channel for information dissemination, via the so-called the Purok assembly and "Sa Motuo Lang".

He said: "Those who care for the community make these a priority. Those who don't have time for us should not demand our time for them." (FREEMAN)