Espino focuses on health, education and agriculture
2008 WORK PROGRAM
LINGAYEN — Governor Amado Espino Jr. spelled out wide-ranging programs in the province planned for this year in keeping with his campaign promise and plan to boost Pangasinan’s economic and social development.
His 35-minute State of the Province Address at the provincial capitol last January 28 centered on his plans to improve healthcare and delivery, education, peace and order, agriculture, and housing.
Espino said with his provincial house in order, and confident of a more efficient bureaucracy now, his is ready to implement his planned development programs.
“We waged war on wasteful operations and systems and sought new efficient approaches that allowed the government to work better,” he said.
He said he had trimmed down the bloated bureaucracy, ensuring that the province is now compliant with the 45 percent ceiling set by the Local Government Code on personnel services.
“While we reorganized the Capitol workforce for tough jobs ahead, we immediately attended to some urgent problems that needed quick actions,” he said.
Espino commended the police force as he highlighted their success in containing cattle rustling, farm equipment theft and insurgency.
On health care, Espino said 26,205 indigent families have been enrolled in PhilHealth, particularly those coming from fourth, fifth and sixth-class municipalities, adding that thousands more including those from more progressive municipalities will be enrolled in the months ahead.
“I will seek the help of our city and town mayors and congressmen in our first, second and third class municipalities so that we can insure all our indigent heads of families in all towns and cities of Pangasinan,” he said.
He also directed the 14 provincial government hospitals to expand people’s access to health care even as he announced that there will be extensive rehabilitation and upgrading of facilities.
Earlier, Espino expressed his disappointment over the dilapidated buildings of hospitals and old facilities being managed by the provincial government.
On education, Espino said by June, all pre-school students studying at Day Care centers will be provided with books that are comparable in content and quality with those in private schools.
He said that as of December 28, the provincial government has allocated a total of P96 million under the Special Education Fund, the bulk of which has been allocated for the construction and repairs of school buildings and the purchase of two L-300 Vans for Pangasinan Divisions I and II.
In agriculture, he pointed out that the provincial government will expand and strengthen effective farming techniques through its technology-transfer programs in order to increase productivity of farmers in Pangasinan.
“Sinisimulan na po namin sa buwan na ito ang pagtuturo sa aming mga tao para sila din ang magturo sa ating mga kababayan (We have started training our people this month who will in turn train farmers in various towns),” Espino said.
He stressed that the agriculture department of the province will be production and technology-oriented.
He assured that more of the budget for agriculture will be spent for projects and operations and reverse the traditional policy which allocated 91 percent of the total P45 million budget of the provincial agriculture office to personnel services, leaving only P4 million for projects and operations.
He also reported that fish farms in strategic areas in the western, central and eastern parts of Pangasinan have been upgraded as demonstration centers, mangrove propagation area, livestock satellite production and demo farms and fish breeding areas.
Under the program of creating livable communities, the governor said that the provincial government is pursuing socialized housing and an effective resettlement program for displaced families.
He said the government has also been maintaining sound fiscal policies.
From July to December 2007, the Provincial Treasurer’s Office had a gross collection of more than P200 million, making Pangasinan the top real property tax collector in Region I.
The provincial assessor succeeded in collecting P160 million representing unpaid property tax of the Sual Power Corporation.
He added that collection efforts are also being made on tax obligations of the San Roque Multi-Purpose project in San Manuel.
“As may be gleaned from this report, the workings of the provincial government for the past seven months had been marked by substantial progress. We can all be proud of what we have accomplished,” he said.
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