REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE PROVINCE
Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr.
February 9, 2009
INTRODUCTION
Vice-Governor Marlyn Primicias-Agabas and the members of the provincial board, distinguished guests, fellow public servants, my dear province mates:
Good morning. Thank you so much for your valuable presence today.
It is a good one year, seven months, and eight days since we assumed the leadership of this province at noon on June 30, 2007.
I have spoken before you at least three times over the period. The first time, last October 15, 2007 to report on our first 100 days; the second time, on January 28, 2008 to present the state of the province; and, the third time, on Aug 4, 2008, when I rendered a report on our first year in office.
Today, I wish to update you on the present state of our province, and how far we have gone in our long journey towards our common vision of Pangasinan as “the best place to invest, work, live, and raise a family”.
FLASHBACK
But first, let me refresh your memory.
When we arrived on June 30, 2007, the provincial government was in disarray, and things just didn’t work right.
Provincial departments did not have a clear understanding of their basic roles and functions.
Provincial employees had low morale, and lacked proper grooming, discipline, and direction.
The provincial board members stayed in small, overcrowded, and disorderly offices located in an old, ill-maintained building.
Offices and departments not related to each other were housed in the same building, and related functions were scattered in different buildings.
All provincial hospitals and agricultural facilities were decrepit, dilapidated, and shabby.
Everywhere we looked, there was work to be done.
And for the next one and a half years, we had to work tirelessly thru extended hours to put the house in order, so that the provincial government could operate and function properly.
Under the circumstances, we had no choice but to give first priority to the basic need of repairing or reconstructing the provincial capitol and other administration buildings, providing decent working conditions to provincial officials and employees, repairing or reconstructing provincial hospitals and agricultural facilities, maintaining and upgrading provincial roads and bridges, and other key infrastructures, such as major farm to market roads, providing basic health insurance to indigent families, and maintaining peace and order, among others.
On various occasions, I have asked for understanding, and have requested our province mates, especially our local leaders, to allow us to do our job first, and to attend to our own problems and priorities, before going out of our way to assist them.
CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION
More than physical rehabilitation and reconstruction, the more difficult and daunting part was the job of transforming the mindset and the culture of the provincial government bureaucracy, from indifference and non-performance, to professionalism and excellence, and in restoring their dignity and self-respect as worthy public servants.
We went thru the long and tedious process of clarifying basic roles and functions.
We were conscious of the delicate fact, that in demanding no less than the best from every employee, we have to be equally mindful, that each employee deserves recognition, respect, adequate compensation, and reasonable incentives.
In the course of 18 months, we have increased the salaries of our employees two times.
They have been given several opportunities to mingle with fellow employees in other departments, including an overnight team-building session designed to strengthen their sense of being part of the bigger provincial family.
Today, our employees, who commute from various parts of the province, enjoy each other’s company, during their daily trips from home to work and vice-versa, aboard seven provincial shuttle buses assigned to various destinations around the province.
THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOR
I am grateful that our province mates, and our local leaders, have learned to appreciate, and are happy to see the fruits of our work.
Today, after one year and seven months, the Pangasinan capitol stands out as the best in the entire country.
Today, it is easy to single out our provincial employees by the way they dress up, and how they behave.
Our employees have become proud of their work, proud of their province, and proud to belong to the provincial government of Pangasinan.
For the first time, all provincial officials- the governor, the vice-governor, and the board members – are housed altogether in the capitol, which now can be aptly called the seat of power and governance in Pangasinan.
It is heartwarming, indeed quite inspiring, to hear even first-time visitors from other regions, declare with unmasked admiration, that only honorable and self-respecting persons deserve to belong to such a decent, pleasant, and beautiful workplace as the Pangasinan provincial capitol.
Similarly, in our 14 hospitals, and 7 agricultural facilities, a new, distinctive face of the provincial government has slowly, but steadily emerged. It is the face of a public servant, determined and eager to provide quality care and services to the people.
I wish to assure you, that we will continually upgrade the overall capability of your provincial government to work effectively, because the demands on good governance will keep on growing.
HOSPITAL SERVICES/HEALTH CARE
We are happy to report that because of the increasing number of patients in all our hospitals, we have no choice but to upgrade their bed capacity, to absorb the growing demand for our hospital services.
Our earnest efforts to improve our health services must have caught the attention of the DOH and the European Commission. Just recently, a joint team from DOH and the European Commission chose Pangasinan as a model of good governance in health for the entire country.
It is our dream to convert the provincial hospital in San Carlos City into a medical center, and the benchmark in health and medical care even for the best private hospital in the province.
Many of you must have noticed the steady transformation it has been going through.
Very soon, a brand new 12-station dialysis center will start operations within the hospital compound.
This became possible because of the generosity of Mayor Julier Resuello, and the entire City Council, who jointly authorized the grant of P15 million from the City of San Carlos for the construction of the building.
We are equally grateful to Da Vita Corporation based in Los Angeles, California, through its Bridge of Life Foundation, for the donation of 12 brand new dialysis machines and a water treatment plant for the center, which are due to arrive in a few weeks.
Another magnanimous gesture came from Sec. Francisco Duque III, who approved a P40 million grant from DOH, for the reconstruction and upgrading of the Eastern Pangasinan District Hospital in Tayug.
This is in addition to the P11million calamity fund from the NDCC, that Sec. Duque facilitated, for the repair of our hospitals damaged by typhoon Cosme.
For that matter, we will continually allocate funds, and give priority attention, to all the hospitals of the province, and provide them with uniform diagnostic capabilities, and facilities and equipment.
All wards in our hospitals are uniformly air-conditioned, and there is no longer any distinction between the rich and the poor.
Our ultimate goal, among others, is to make sure that no pregnant woman will be left to deliver her baby at home. All pregnant women will invariably receive competent care and attention in a government birthing facility.
We will institute a system of communications and referrals. With an extensive radio communications network, which we will soon establish, the barangay captain can inform the nearest provincial government hospital, to pick up every woman due for delivery by ambulance.
By the way, the radio communications network, once in place, will enhance our anti-crime quick response capability, and our peace and order efforts.
I have put the provincial health program as one important measure of my success as governor, based on my firm belief that the poorest person in our province is the poor man who is sick.
It is our dream that the poor head of family in Pangasinan, will no longer fear for himself, or any member of his family, getting sick, fully confident of getting the best and adequate medical care in our provincial hospitals, through PhilHealth insurance.
Since July 2007, we have spent a total of P28 million for the health insurance of 87,516 indigent families.
On the whole, including those sponsored by the municipalities, our congressmen, some NGOs, and those that are self-employed, there are 129,149 families in Pangasinan with PhilHealth insurance. At an average size of five members per family, this translates to about 645,745 Pangasinenses insured in PhilHealth.
According to PhilHealth, we have the largest number of PhilHealth beneficiaries in Region I.
I wish to assure you that we will not stop until all indigent families in our province are enrolled in PhilHealth, regardless of their political color, or party affiliation.
There is, therefore, no reason why health and medical care should remain inaccessible to the poor in our midst.
Another ambitious plan, intended especially for the poor, is the establishment of the Botikang Panlalawigan to ensure the steady supply of affordable, but quality generic drugs and medicines, in our government hospitals, RHUs, and Botika sa Barangay in Pangasinan.
Under this scheme, the provincial government will directly buy generic drugs and medicines from DOH-certified manufacturers, to be distributed at minimal cost to various government outlets down to the barangay level.
PUBLIC HEALTH
Aside from hospital and curative health care, we must also pursue an aggressive public health program. Through the Provincial Health Office, we will strengthen our capability for disease prevention, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles and practices in our communities.
I have often said that we have no business designing and pursuing very complicated and fancy health programs, if we cannot provide the most basic needs of our people such as disease immunization, adequate potable water, sanitary toilets, drainage canals, waste disposal systems, and other environmental sanitation needs, and if we have not yet succeeded in teaching our people basic personal hygiene like washing hands before eating, or regular tooth brushing, and proper, but affordable, nutrition.
My dear province mates, do you realize that if we succeed in promoting personal good health among our people, our hospitals and public health care facilities will have less and less sick people to treat?
PEACE AND ORDER
Of course, peace and order remains on top of our agenda.
We have maintained close collaboration with the Provincial PNP command, and the army contingents within the province, to make sure that both residents and visitors in Pangasinan can move freely around the province, and sleep soundly in their homes, or in their temporary quarters, fully confident that the protective arm of the government is in place.
We have sustained the province-wide drive against lawless elements, and the ever-present threat of insurgency, even to the point of resorting to aggressive, and sometimes unconventional, means in order to safeguard our people, down to the barangay level.
As a result, our average monthly crime rate has consistently gone down from 7.28% in 2006 to 6.15% in 2008. Our crime solution efficiency has improved from 89 in 2007 to 91% in 2008.There have been no reported sightings, or encounters with insurgent elements during the period.
Our gallant efforts did not pass unnoticed, because both our PNP Provincial command, and the CIDG Provincial unit have received awards as best provincial units nationwide, for two consecutive years.
ROADS and BRIDGES
Notwithstanding the province’s limited pool of heavy equipment, we have given consistent priority to the vital task of upgrading and maintaining provincial roads and bridges, and similar work for important farm-to-market, and municipal roads, to ensure the smooth flow of basic goods and services around the province.
So far, we have spent a total of P73.7 million for the upgrading, repair, and maintenance of 547 kms.of provincial roads, and P99.163 million for 132.51 kms of municipal and barangay roads.
LIVELIHOOD AND EMPLOYMENT
In addition, our Provincial Employment Services Office (PESO) has been relentless in its skills training and job placement activities. Since July 2007, the PESO has placed more than 2,000 job applicants, mostly for local employment.
A record high of 247 jobseekers were hired on the spot, during its job fairs last January and February 2008.
On the other hand, our Provincial Population Office has assisted 12 livelihood associations (or 176 beneficiaries) with working capital loans.
It is worth noting that all 12 associations have recorded a 100 percent full repayment of their loans, as of December 2008.
There is another set of 132 associations now being assessed for capital loans assistance.
TYPHOON REHABILITATION/ SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAM
A lot of people are amazed how we have accomplished so much in so short a time, given the built-in limitations of the provincial government, including the burden of paying a monthly amortization of P13 million, for an external indebtedness of P415.5 million that we inherited.
Typhoon Cosme made it even worse, when it came last May 2008, and destroyed provincial buildings, schoolhouses, private structures and residences, and agricultural crops.
But Cosme failed to cripple our collective spirit.
Instead, it served as the rallying factor that inspired our mayors and barangay captains to mobilize their constituents, and muster whatever local resources they had, to undertake the job of rehabilitation and reconstruction, with modest support from the provincial government.
In less than a month, most schoolhouses were ready for the opening of classes on June 9, 2008. This could not have been possible if we just waited for the slow arrival of funds from the national government.
The community response was truly inspiring!
We will continue to give priority to the rehabilitation and upgrading of our public schools, especially those located in the remotest barangays. These are the ones that are rarely visited, and therefore, most often neglected.
GOING FOR QUALITY EDUCATION
We must intensify the effort to raise the quality of public education in Pangasinan; if not better, then at least comparable to what is being offered in the private schools.
In line with this thrust, the Provincial School Board has authorized the production of uniform teacher guidebooks. All elementary pupils and secondary students in our public schools will receive the same course content and quality of instruction all over the province, down to the remotest barangay.
The teacher guidebooks were written by local master teachers and subject matter specialists, who went thru a series of write shops and rigorous editing sessions.
We have distributed the teacher guidebooks for English, Math, and Science.
Work on the remaining guidebooks for Filipino and Social Studies, including its five sub-subjects, will begin very soon.
Within the Capitol compound, we have built a new provincial library that offers more volumes and reference materials, and is equipped with brand new computers and on-line capability, available for the free use of our students and teachers.
CULTURE AND SPORTS
We will not limit our efforts to purely academic training. Sports and cultural development will also receive adequate attention as a means to develop our young people into well-rounded and refined individuals.
Aside from the rehabilitation of the Narciso Ramos Sports and Cultural Center, now being done with the initial P25 million grant from the Office of the President, thru PAGCOR, and the total renovation of the Sison Auditorium, which is also on-going, we will continue to initiate and support projects and activities designed to promote our local athletes, and to promote and preserve local arts and culture, including songs, dances and other artistic expressions of our rich tradition and distinct heritage as a province.
OUR BIGGER RESPONSIBILITY
Still, there are other equally important things to do, and the province has to face the bigger responsibility of empowering the people to become self-reliant and economically independent, so that they can participate as equal partners of government in the overall process of development.
Pangasinan has a lot of inherent natural resources and potentials that can be tapped to create more livelihood opportunities, economic activities, and social services for our people.
AGRICULTURE
Last year, the province invested P50 million, to subsidize the fertilizer requirements of our rice farmers, in cooperation with DA Secretary Arthur Yap, who released P100 million to Pangasinan for the same purpose.
Our agricultural, fisheries and veterinary facilities, located in strategic parts of the province, are now being equipped to provide training, technology transfer, and technical support, including marketing and capital assistance, to give our people the capability to engage in productive and profitable livelihood activities, right where they live.
It is common knowledge that Pangasinan is the food basket of Region I.
We produce 62% of the region’s rice output, 60% of the region’s corn, 83% of eggplants, 78% of sweet potatoes, 89% of mangoes, 54% of onions, 79% of fish, to name a few major products.
Instead of immediately marketing our raw agricultural products, we can add value, create more jobs, and generate more local income, by investing more in storage, warehousing, and processing activities.
The province has more room left for agricultural expansion.
Only 49% of its potential irrigable area of 178,617 hectares is actually irrigated.
In the western half of the province, there are still large tracts of rainfed lands that can produce more vegetables and other crops if given adequate groundwater irrigation.
Thus, I have asked our regional officials of the National Irrigation Administration, to prioritize funds for ground water irrigation, so that our farmers can produce more crops, and earn more income.
TOURISM AND INDUSTRY
We also have large tracts of forests, offshore lands, a long coastline, and a land area bigger than the rest of Region I, punctuated with many natural and man-made tourist attractions, that can compete with the best in the country.
But many of these spots are still waiting to be developed to attract more tourists, and to generate more jobs and additional income for our people.
As for industries, and other potential business locators, we have a good supply of skilled and educated manpower from our local colleges and universities. The same industries and business locators can enjoy the luxury of cheaper power supply from the Sual coal fired, and the San Roque hydro, power plants capable of generating 1,545 megawatts of electricity.
We have rich, largely untapped deposits of metallic and non-metallic mineral resources, including gravel of superior industrial quality, which can be exported to neighboring Asian countries.
But we cannot attract industries and other businesses, and our local mining, commercial fishing, and other export-oriented industries, will never take off, if we do not have a commercial seaport, and a bigger airport, operating within the province.
We are informed the DOTC included a budget allocation of P100 million in its 2009 budget for the Sual Port Project, upon instructions of Pres. GMA.
The same is true for the Lingayen airport, which is also crucial in attracting tourists and investors to Pangasinan.
DOTC Sec. Leandro Mendoza has promised to allocate funds to upgrade the airport. So far, they have done some initial work on the existing runway, and the fencing of the airport premises.
ECO-TOURISM
We also have some 300 hectares of foreshore land in the northwestern part of Lingayen that is ripe for conversion into a sprawling eco-tourist zone, and waiting to be developed.
But we know how the national government works.
Thus, while we remain hopeful for national government support in developing our major facilities, we will keep our eyes wide open for interested BOT investors to cash in on these major projects.
TOGETHER, LET’S MAKE THINGS HAPPEN
In the meantime, it has become more obvious that we cannot just depend on others to do all the work for us.
It is necessary that we put our acts together, to make things happen.
In small but significant ways, your provincial government has been doing its part.
The provincial capitol complex, with its spanking new buildings and clean and orderly surroundings, including the beach area, has been attracting an increasing number of tourists every day.
Even our hospitals and agricultural facilities will become tourist attractions in their own right.
We bought six brand new tour buses to bring our own province mates around the province. We are happy to note that they are now beginning to discover and appreciate our unique and beautiful places in Pangasinan.
We ask you to do your part, not by doing big things, but by engaging in small undertakings, such us cleaning your own immediate surroundings, and organizing inexpensive community efforts to clean and protect your rivers and waterways, and other simple but significant activities.
We ask the local governments to maintain clean and orderly government offices, public markets, and other public places, orderly parking and traffic flow, practice proper waste disposal, and create an overall semblance of decency, in order to make the towns look pleasing and attractive.
We ask our local investors to pool their resources and explore the many opportunities in local tourism and small-scale industries, including the development, proper packaging, and marketing of indigenous products that abound in many places around the province.
For that matter, we now call upon the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Tourism, the local Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the local Tourism Councils to meet and seriously plan the installation of visitor information and assistance centers, and product display centers in strategic places around the province, as means to win the hearts and minds of visitors, and to promote our local tourist spots and related services, as well as our native products.
I tell you, this is long overdue.
We ask our NGOs to organize simple, inexpensive community efforts to create more awareness for healthy lifestyles, responsible citizenship, cleaning, greening, and environmental protection, and the value of volunteerism for worthwhile community projects, among others.
We are now in the midst of difficult and trying times, and we have to find effective ways and means to create opportunities for our people.
As for us in the provincial government, we will continue to outdo our own best efforts, and provide leadership and direction to pave the way for investments and other beneficial activities to flourish in Pangasinan.
We will be firm and decisive in pursuing good governance, in putting provincial government priorities over and above purely political considerations.
We will be firm and decisive in doing what it takes to provide you all with a provincial government that works, and a provincial government that cares.
But no matter how hard we work, we in the provincial government can only do so much.
You have to do your part, and we ask you to do it well, so that together, we can leave that lasting legacy of a much better province for our children, and the future generations to come.
My dear provincemates, the journey to progress and prosperity will be long. We do not have the luxury of time. Let us begin today.
And may God continue to bless our joint endeavors for a peaceful, and truly progressive Pangasinan.
Thank you and good morning to one and all.
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