STATE OF CITY ADDRESS 

DAGUPAN City’s dramatic turnaround was likened to an almost decrepit ship burdened by huge budgetary deficit of P44 million in 2012 and transformed into fast-moving cruiser in just two years.

This was how Mayor Belen T. Fernandez described the city in brief in her State of the City Address (SOCA) last August 10.

Before a huge crowd that packed the CSI Stadia, Ms. Fernandez detailed what her government has achieved to propel Dagupan to greater heights in two years.

Among the highlights of her economic reforms and agenda:

• Dagupan posted the highest growth of its income in the history of the city at P69-Min 2014, and registered a net surplus of P54M, the highest net surplus ever registered since Dagupan  became a city in 1947.
• Revenue collections increased without new tax measures or increasing tax levels.
• More businesses relocated to the city, the biggest is the Sta. Lucia Realty that will a high-end subdivision and P200 million mall.
•  Introduced reforms in tax collections to cover loopholes.
• Transformed the Malimgas Public Market into a viable venture.
• Instilled in the employees a new sense of dedication, commitment and teamwork with slogan – ” Bawal; ang magnanakaw dito sa Dagupan.”
• Became 19th (from 44th) most competitive independent component city.
• Tagging of the genuine Dagupan bangus with “Dagupan Certified Product” was accomplished.
• The Dagupan Product Center was established.
• The Island Tours was launched with three flat boats donated by multinational companies.
• Cleared the city rivers of 700 illegal fish pens.
• Dredging of city’s rivers by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is continuing.
• Marginal fishermen of Dagupan received 27 motorized fishing boats.
• Other BUB projects were delivered to the city by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

In the field of disaster preparedness:

• Dagupan was last year’s regional Kalasag Awardee of the Office of Civil Defense) increasing the resilience and capacities of communities to meet disaster risks.
• The city acquired an earthquake intensity meter, REDAS-powered PC and tsunami warning systems from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
• Public Alert Response and Monitoring Center (PARMC) was organized in flood prone areas
• A three-story building with a roof deck, will soon be constructed in Salapingao to serve as an evacuation center for residents in case of a tsunami.

In the field of children’s and senior citizens’ health and welfare:

• Dagupan was adjudged as the Most Child-friendly City in Region 1 and one of three cities adjudged as Most Child-friendly City in 2014.
• Launched “Healthy Dagupan Libreng Paligo Para sa mga Bata” which to date already benefited 7,000 children.
• Dagupan earned the first Agila Award from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation as “best forerunner in sponsored program implementation”
• City partnered with Villaflor Memorial Doctors Hospital for the implementation of “Point of Care” program under the “No Billing Policy” to indigents.
• Health services for indigent senior citizens is expected to be benchmarked by the World Health Organization (WHO) for adoption in other developing and less developed countries.
• A new Senior Citizens Recreational Center was built at the city plaza equipped with outdoor exercise equipment and indoor facilities.

In the education front:

• Secured commitments for the construction of two-storey and four-storey school buildings to house 139 new classrooms; built the first two-storey school building of the Carael Elementary School and soon another two-storey school building for the Carael National High School.
• Built three covered courts (East Central Elementary School, the North Central Elementary School in Bonuan Gueset and the Bonuan Boquig National High School) and soon in Carael.

In the peace and order front:

• Fernandez was named chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council (ROOC), the first woman local executive to hold such position.
• Received 2014 Best Local Chief Executive Ward from PNP Regional Office 1; 2014 Hall of Famer with Plaque of Recognition from the Dangerous Drugs Board
• DCPS is recipient of Achievement Award for the Solution of Sensational Cases in both national and regional levels.

Political observers have hailed Ms. Fernandez as a hands-on mayor, who earned her the moniker “the first 24/7 mayor of Dagupan”. She normally begins the day as early as 2:00 a.m. with a routine inspection of the public markets, seeing to it those employees in charge of the market are already in their respective posts.

Ms. Fernandez said she expects Dagupan to get foreign investors once the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) finally approves the draft of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) which designated additional growth centers in the city.

The mayor was recently presented the Batch Valedictorian Award while Dagupan was cited as “most resourceful city in the Philippines” by the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) and earned the Rafael Salas Award the Population Commission. (Leonardo Micua)

Back to Homepage

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments