2006 STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS
By:  Hon. Rolando “Lando” Enriquez Yebes
Provincial Governor, Zamboanga del Norte

               ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OFFICIALS AND GUESTS . . . 

§        Honorable Vice Governor Francis “Baby” Olvis

§        Distinguished Members of the House of Representatives : Hon. Celia Jalosjos Carreon of the 1^st District, Hon. Roseller L. Barinaga of the 2^nd District; and Hon. Cesar G. Jalosjos of the 3^rd District;

§        Equally Distinguished Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan

§        Mayors, Vice-mayors, Councillors, and Barangay Officials of the Local   Government Units of the Province

§        Honorable Members of the Judiciary

§        Reverend Heads and Members of the religious sector

§        Officers and Members of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army ( PNP Regional Director Gen.  Jaime G. Caringal and PNP Provincial Commander Col. Mario S. Fermendoza)

§        Partners in the Private and Business Sector and Non-Government Organizations

§        Brother Subanens, Muslims / Kalibugans, and Christians

§        Heads of National and Provincial Offices

§        Friends in the media

§        Members of my beloved family

§        Fellow workers in government, fellow ZaNorteans

§        Other distinguished guests
 

INTRODUCTION

§                     At about this time last year, I stood before you brimming with pride, to present what the provincial government under our administration has accomplished in its first one and a half years of governing the multi-faceted affairs of the province.

§                     The performance card that I presented showed how we have worked in solidarity and cooperation to rise above the challenges of the times;  despite the many odd difficulties and problems associated with the setting up of a new administration, we were indomitable to forge ahead with our common shared commitment to serve the people above all else so that their quality of life is significantly improved. “Una sa Tanan, Ang Katawhan”; our guiding principle of public service.

§                     Today, halfway into our first term of office, I stand before you again, to report how far we have gone since then, what we intend to accomplish in the years to come, and how we intend to get them done.

§                     Together with the many fine accomplishments that we achieved  over the past eighteen months or so, this province, like the rest of the country and the world, has also its share of deeply rooted-problems and natural calamities.

§                     This notwithstanding, let us be grateful that we have handled these setbacks well, and it is for this reason why, our Province of Zamboanga del Norte,  is still a better and kinder place to live in and come home to.

§                     On this note, I now submit this report to our people. 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS :

Fiscal Management

·                    Since I assumed office, the often repeated criticism of our administration is its alleged over-spending; that, in a matter of only one year, we have disbursed government funds, including savings in banks, for non-essential activities, benefiting a selected few.

·                    My report will contradict such unfair judgment of our administration.

·                    I am pleased to report that while the national government and other Local Government Units continue to be confronted with ballooning budget deficits,  the provincial coffer enjoys a relatively sound financial position.

·                    By the end of year 2005,  we realized an increase of 29.33 percent in the total revenues generated thru local sources;  that is from P 171.047 Million Pesos  in 2004,  to P 221.228 Million Pesos in 2005.

·                    Likewise, with our Internal Revenue Allocation or IRA from the national government; from a total of P 535.829 Million Pesos in 2004,  to   P 577.998 Million Pesos in 2005, indicating a 7.87 percent increase.

·                    Summed up together, total revenues of the province in year 2005 totalled to P799.226 Million Pesos as compared to 2004’s level of P706.877 Million Pesos.

·                    Permit me to cite the top income performers among our local sources of revenues :

ü            Motor pool services with a remarkable increase of 92.02 percent; that is from P 22.439 Million Pesos in 2004 to  P 43.088 Million Pesos in 2005;

ü            Equipment rental up by 39.47 percent in 2005; from  P 35.033 Million Pesos in 2004 to P 48.861 Million Pesos;

 ü            Contracting services in the implementation of projects moved up by 17.66 percent in 2005; from P46.333 Million Pesos in 2004 to P54.515 Million Pesos in 2005;

ü            Bank interests of our funds in various government banks rose to an incredible 45.02 percent  or by P14.112 Million Pesos in 2005;

ü            Where as on previous years and administration, bank interest earned only a measly 3.0 percent to 4.0  percent interest , we have increased it to 6.0 percent and up to 7.0  percent more or less depending on the viability of the investors market, thus, from an actual income of P 31.344 Million Pesos in previous year, we now have, for the year 2005, an actual interest income of P 45.456 Million Pesos or an increase of 45.02 percent.

ü            This administration will not veer in its quest to improve the coffers of the provincial government even to the extent of offering our hard earned savings to a public bidding to maximize interest income.

ü            Earnings from hospital services also improved; from P18.858 Million Pesos in 2004 to P21.400 Million Pesos in 2005, up by  13.48 percent ;

ü            Combined earnings of the agriculture and veterinary services also went up by 22.24 percent; from P1.309 Million Pesos in 2004 to P2.106 Million Pesos in 2005;

ü            Collected taxes and fines from quarrying activities of sand and pebbles and illegal logging, as well posted an encouraging increase of 37.47 percent by the end of 2005; from P 1.329 Million Pesos in 2004 to P1.828 Million Pesos in 2005.

·                    Notably, we have overshot our targets in the following income sources:

ü            Interest income from banks by 83.0 percent
Estimate  for the year                -  P 25,000,000.00
Actual Collection                         -  P 45,842,969.00

ü            Laboratory fees by 22.38 percent
Estimate for the year                  -   P 1,250,000.00
Actual collection                          -   P 1,529,765.00

·                    These figures give us a high-quality prognosis of our financial status. Certainly,  our finances are in the pink of health, hale and hearty, thus, enabling this administration to satisfactorily meet its mandatory and statutory obligations, including directory obligations covered by presidential announcements such as the giving of additional bonuses, to the employees, more so, to the people whom we are all sworn to serve. 

·                    In essence, our books of account belie the accusation of over-spending.

·                    On the contrary, our books of account mirror the commitment of this administration to social and economic development programs aimed at reaching out to the greater mass of our constituencies in the grassroots level as well as our commitment to streamline governmental operations.

·                    That, in spite of our pro-active approach to accelerating the delivery of quality basic services and generating more economic activities, we still managed to generate surplus of P 155.718 Million Pesos by the end of 2005.

·                    With the completion of our computerization program by mid next year, we are assured of a more efficient system of revenue generation and government processes. Of the 7 information systems we have programmed to set-up, 2 systems, the Electronic Real Property Tax System  or the e-RPTS, and Electronic Government Accounting System of the e-NGAS, are currently on-going. Under the e-RPTS, we have already encoded a total of 24,077 Real Property Units (RPUs) out of the 114,163 RPUs of the province.

·                    As to the e-NGAS, we are preparing for its roll-out this year.

DELIVERY OF BASIC SERVICES

Poverty Reduction Initiatives

·                    Please recall, that at the beginning of our administration, we implemented the Poverty mapping Program to lay the strong fundamentals in the identification and implementation of poverty -reduction projects and activities, which scheme is intended to answer to the ignominy of the declaration that our province is one of the poorest provinces of the country.

·                    Once again I say, “Nunca iterum”; never again shall our people be bereft of  health and social service; never again shall our people be denied of the opportunity to grow and live a modest happy life, where want of food will no longer be a daily problem of existence.

·                    Today, after about two (2) years of laborious phases of poverty diagnosis conducted in the 568 barangays throughout the province, we have identified our indigent households most deserving of our priority attention. Through the program, we have not only consolidated our poverty indexes to effect a systematic poverty reduction program of initiatives, but, we have effectively created opportunities for equal access of our people to government services they have longed for years, building their confidence and self-worth and empowering them to slowly take control of their lives  by way of  co-operation under the LANDO-BIBO or Barangay Indigent Beneficiaries Organization.

·                    By of the end of February this year,  LANDO-BIBO organizations are at various stages of development in 388 barangays in 18 of our 25  municipalities,  covering a total of 42,000 household-members.

·                    The services that we deliver and extend to them include the provision of health care assistance through the Provincial Health Care Assistance (PHCA) Program entitling beneficiaries of free hospitalization in all 10 hospitals of the provincial government, medicines, consultations, and surgery services, including financial assistance.

·                    Latest figures from the Community Development Assistance Unit or CDAU, show that a total of 1,257 individuals have benefited from the  PHCA Program.

·                    A wide array of government services are also delivered to depressed  sitios in the far flung barangays through outreach missions under the Tabang ni Lando sa Communidad or TLC Program. Convergence of basic medical and dental services, social, health and nutrition, agricultural and veterinary services were brought right at the doorstep of the sitios.

·                    In the last 2 years of implementation, the medical and dental teams have served a total of 69,080 individuals in 269 barangays,  involving a total P 2,476,125.00 worth of medicines.

·                    The outreach missions provided the avenue for our agricultural and veterinary technicians to intensify programs to  promote increased farm productivity, farmers’ income and address the concern on malnutrition.

·                    Some of the notable services we provided  include the following :

Veterinary and agricultural services . . .

o                   Inseminated a total of 235 heads of cattle using  semen from Brahman and Holstein breed of cattle; 108 heads of carabao using the semen of Bulgarian Buffalo; and 2,101 sows), with the end view of  improving and upgrading the bloodline of native cattle and carabaos in the province;

§                     A farmer by the name of Mr. Nemesion Taguibolos of San Antonio, Katipunan vouched the good quality of his 2 calves produced through artificial insemination.

§                     On the other hand, swine raiser Ronie Rodriguez of Sulangon, Dapitan City, testified the superior quality of his piglets produced through artificial insemination.

·                    In the wake of the foot-and-mouth disease and bird flu outbreaks within and outside the country, concerted efforts of the Provincial Veterinarian’s Office, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Provincial Health Office, in collaboration with national and regional offices and the private sector, implemented safeguard measures to insulate the province from these diseases.

·                    We seeded rivers and creeks, and inland fish farms in 49 barangays with a total of 341,500 pieces of Tilapia   and 27,300 pieces of African fries and fingerlings to rehabilitate depleted fishery resources, transfer African hito production technology  and supplement protein requirement of families in remote barangays.

·                    We are promoting the production of cassava  thru the establishment of a demonstration farm in a 1.8-hecatre land tilled by Manong Kandoy Isik in Brgy. Timan, Liloy.   He is expected to harvest 35,000 to 40,000 metric tons of fresh cassava tubers with an estimated gross market value between P 42,000.00 and P 48,000.00.

·                    Prospects  for cassava production to be adopted by farmers are bright considering the marketing support of San Miguel Corporation to this initiative thru the establishment of buying stations for cassava chips and fresh cassava tubers. A total of 2,413 farming households are now into cassava production covering a total of 965 hectares.

·                    To effectively assist our farmers enhance production levels and productivity yields of their farms, we purchased an additional 3 units of tractors, and  secured  another 2 units  from the Department of Agriculture to augment the existing fleet of 6 units.

·                    On top of our own efforts to alleviate the plight of the farming communities, we intensified our  partnership with the Department of Land Reform and the Department of Agriculture,  via projects assisted and funded by foreign funding entities such as the Belgian Integrated Agrarian Reform Support Program of the BIARSP, and the Western Mindanao Community Initiative Projects or WMCIP, among other initiatives.

·                    Under the BIARSP, we have completed infrastructure projects supportive of agricultural and educational development, namely, the rehabilitation of Highway Junction Langatian-Pongolan Road in Bgry. Langatian, Roxas consisting of 6 kilometers in length costing P4,038,500.00;  construction of Pitong Gatang Hanging Bridge in Bgry. Bago, Sindangan costing P 1,000,000.00; and the construction of a 2-classroom school building Lomogom Elementary School in Bgry. Lomogom, Godod costing P 500,000.00.

·                    We are momentarily working on the release of additional funds for 23 more rural infrastructure projects.

·                    On the other hand, the WMCIP provides a convergence of community-based extension services to improve farming technologies, enhance productivity yields of farms lands, and sustain food availability in target barangays in the Municipalities of Katipunan, Roxas, Sindangan, Siayan, Leon Postigo and Godod.

·                    The convergent services include the establishment of a Community Initiative Barangay Nursery and Scion Grove in a 1,000 square meter barangay lot in Brgy. Titik, Leon Postigo. Currently, the nursery is stocked with 1,600 rubber wildings, and  130 lanzones wildlings; and planted with budded rubber, grafted pomelo, calamansi, and durian. These will provide the source for scion and stick for asexual propagation. In the drawing board is the planned integration of inland fishpond and poultry center to complete integrated farming system.

·                    The implementation of this project in Bgry. Titik, a remote mountain barangay in Leon Postigo, is welcomed by its settlers who claimed to have not been visited nor extended government services. The Yebes administration is first to visit Brgy. Titik.

·                    The following humbling words of Timuay Lordy Tanglanan, one of the co-operators of the project, truly inspire us to go extra miles of public service and reach out the vast majority of our underserved people in the barangays.

·                    I quote, “Daghang salamat sa pagbisita kanamo Gob. Lando Yebes ug Vice-Gob. Francis Olvis. Dili mi makatuo nga tagaan kami sa Titik ug pagtagad sa atong Gobernador kay lagi tungud sa among pait nga kahimtang labi na gayod sa dalan. Walay laing agensya sa probinsya ug national nga nakahatag ug serbisyo sama sa gihatag kanamo ni Gob. Lando. Kini dili namo mahikalimtan kay kini maoy naghatag kanamo ug dakong paglaum sa among pagpakabuhi.”

·                    Barangay Kagawad Arsenio Pandic of Titik, Sindangan, echoed the same feelings when he said, and I quote, “ Ang kalamdagan alang sa pagpalambo sa among umahan nga dugay nang wala matrabaho ug karon lamang namo nakita tungod sa kakulangon sa kahibalo ug wala poy nagduaw namo nga mga tinugyanan sa goberno gikan ko natawo niining barangaya. Ang pagpukaw kanamo sa mga tinugyanan sa agrikultura ubos sa program ani Gob Lando Yebes mao karoy nagdasig kanamo sa pagpananom ilabi na nga gihatagan kami ug mga maayong klase sa prutas ug guma. Wala namo damha nga makahugpong kami ug matawo ang usa ka nursery nga karon maoy hinungdan sa pagpadaghan sa among mga seedlings ilabi sa gayod sa guma”.

·                    Moving words from the common tao whose lives the provincial government  has touched only now. We hear the same heart-warming avowal from Timuay Duncalan Andapo, our inland fishpond cooperator, Narcisa Casido who shed tears when she saw in flesh government officials and employees and interacted with them during our visit to her barangay Titik. In the past, she claimed, “sa calendar lamang among makita ang mga politico nga nagpunay ug saad kanamo panahon sa eleksyon’’.

·                    I encourage all fellow public servants in our administration to sustain our kind of governance; one that is true to the oath of public service we swore to uphold when we said, “Ako’y isang lingkod bayan; Katungkulan ko ang maglingkod nang buong katapatan at kahusayan at makatulong sa katatagan at kaunlaran ng aking bayan”. . . further on, we swore, “ Lagi kong isasaalang-alang and interes ng nakakarami bago pansarili kong kapakanan. Isusulong ko ang mga programang mag-aangat sa antas ng kabuyahan ng mga mahihirap at aktibo akong makikibahagi paras a dakilang layunin sa lipunan”.

          Social-welfare, Health and Nutrition . . .

·                    Ambulatory facilities and assistive devices, such as crutches, wheelchairs and canes,  are also distributed during outreach missions for persons with disabilities. Not only is this undertaken in compliance to Accessibility Law, but foremost, this is our way of helping our disabled constituencies regain their self-worth and  independence in their daily living activities. Already, we have provided ambulatory devices to a total of 115 disabled persons amounting to P 453,211.75.

·                    In partnership with a team of German doctors and nurses, we conducted Operation Pahiyum VI for the benefit of our provincemates with cleft lips, cleft palates, hernia, goiter and other abnormal cellular growth.  The team performed surgeries to 88 patients giving them to back the confidence to face and interact with the world.

·                    The physical and mental  well-being of our pre-school and school age children is a concern close to my heart. Thus, during outreach missions, we provide program materials for mental development to our pre-school children enrolled in day care centers, and supplemental feeding to 2^nd and 3^rd degree malnourished children.  

·                    In 2005, a total of 3,000 pre-school children were given program materials amounting to P 400,000.00, and a total of 8,574 malnourished children benefited from the Supplemental Feeding Program amounting to P 1,490,978.00.

·                    Comprehensive maternal and child is also provided thru vitamin and iron supplementation to mothers, immunization of pregnant women with Tetanus Toxoid 2,  full immunization of infants 9 to 11 months old against communicable diseases, food and milk supplementation, and milk feeding. This indicates the concern of my administration in fortifying our people against communicable diseases and in fighting malnutrition.

·                    For the record, we have given Tetanus Toxoid 2 plus to 14,244 lactating women, a total of 14,704 pregnant women and 12,631 post-partum mothers received complete iron dosage; 11,130 lactating mothers received Vitamin A supplementation;  16,440 infants received full immunization; while  6,058 infants were given the 3^rd dose of Hepatitis B;  2,790 children afflicted with varying degrees of malnutrition received food supplements; 7,717 pre-school and school age children received milk supplements; and 2,265 pre-school children provided regular milk feeding.

·                    Aware that a well-informed citizenry makes a healthy community,  nutrition management trainings were conducted in partnership with the National Nutrition Council and the regional office of the Department of Agriculture, participated in by the main actors in the combat of  malnutrition among our children at the municipal and barangay levels.

NOTE  :  All of these programs and initiatives were conducted in the presence  and actual participation of the different heads of office of this administration, to immerse them and to let them see and feel the true pulse of our hinterland communities and barangays,  with the hope that this can help them in their decision making process and surmount the bureaucratic red tape, all in the name of public service.

·                    TO FULLY SERVE THE MEDICAL NEEDS  of our people,  we  have launched  the BOND FLOTATION,  as an alternative manner of generating funds,  for the purpose of  constructing a modern Provincial Hospital  in  Sicayab, Dipolog City.     With the  full support of the Sangguniang  Panlalawigan,   the process   has   gained the  favourable action of the Bangko Sentral/Monetary Board.  To disabuse the minds  of  our  detractors,   we  are  happy  to note  that,  even  as    we  met and convened  in this  Plenary Hall    this   afternoon,  the  engineering  personnel  of our  contractor   are  on the initial   stage of the  work  for   the  construction of the provincial hospital.

Opportunities for Education

·                    It is  true that the area of Education per se   is the concern of the national government.  Yet,   as  a  product  of  public  elementary  education ourselves,   we  cannot  close  our  eyes to the lack of classrooms  and school  teachers to mold  the hearts and minds of  our youth.

·                    Thus, in  recognition of the  principle that  Quality   Education is the Great Equalizing Force in our society,  we  have  caused the construction of  29 pre-fabricated 2-classroom school buildings; 21 standard school buildings and repaired / improved 17 school buildings  all over the province. 

·                    Nor  is this all.  

·                    We  have  hired,  within the  18 month period  of our administration, 185 public secondary school  teachers in keeping with our long standing commitment to support the national government in addressing the concern on the lack of teachers.

·                    Provided  financial assistance for school supplies and materials to 208 poor but deserving elementary and high school students ;  enrolled 15 out-of-school youths in a 2-year vocational course under our Special Scholarship for Out-of-School Youths; and provided sports materials and apparatuses to 16 accredited youth groups to develop not only the mental capacities of our youths but likewise their physical capacities.

·                    Other sectors like the disadvantaged women, agricultural producers, prospective entrepreneurs, inmates in the Provincial Rehabilitation Center, homemakers, senior citizens and  the disabled are, as well provided with productivity and capability building skills trainings in the hope that they become, despite their limitations, productive members  of our communities.

·                    We have transferred the provincial correctional and rehabilitation center to the fertile areas of Misok, Sindangan and Don Jose Aguirre, Manukan, so we can help our inmates regain their social standing in life and for the betterment of their living conditions; thus, we have provided livelihood projects for them, such as the Hollow Block and Tamburong making, which the provincial government in turn purchase from them for the use of the various projects of the Provincial Engineering Office. Other livelihood projects which we encourage them to engage in are lantern making and poultry raising.

·                    To enhance our work force’s capacity to compete in the global arena, we established the Abante ZaNorte Cyber Nook complete with internet ready 10 computer units at the Provincial Library. Students, researchers, and the public in general can access the global information centers through this facility.

·                    Corollary with the cyber nook is the launching of the Philippine Electronic Library making the  provincial library  one of the access points in Mindanao and making it the e-Library kiosk in Region IX. Researchers can now access information from other libraries in the country via this facility. 

·                    We move on to efforts directed to protect, preserve and judiciously manage our environment.

 Environment Protection and Preservation

·                    The natural resources that we are blessed with are the main lifeblood of our existence. Therefore, we are bound to safeguard the environment and adopt sustainable practices and principles in the utilization of  resources for the sake of development. Sustainable development are the  key words, which, as defined in the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, means, “meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs”.

·                    This is the reason why our administration is steadfast of its commitment  to protect the remaining forest cover of the province in the TRIPLE S-B municipalities; the municipal waters from purse seiners and siltation from irresponsible mining and logging operations; the pebbles, sand and quarried mineral resources such as the chromite ore and manganese.

·                    Our relentless monitoring efforts resulted to increased collection of taxes and lawful fees on account of extraction and transport of minerals by large and small scale miners alike; and strict enforcement of laws and ordinances to protect and conserve our natural resources, including apprehensions of persons and seizure of minerals involved in illegal activities.

·                    Given equal attention are the watersheds in the province. In collaboration with the Regional Development Council IX, thru its Secretariat, the NEDA Regional Office IX,  and the local government units concerned,  3 watershed areas in the province are included in the on-going preparation of the study on the Zamboanga Peninsula Integrated Watershed Development and Agrarian Reform Support Project. These are the Diongan River Watershed in the Municipalities of Siayan and Sindanga, Layawan River Watershed in the Municipalities of Sergio Osmena,  Pinan and Polanco; and Lituban River Watershed in Siocon and Sirawai. The consultation-workshop with stakeholders for the Diongan River Watershed was conducted in Siayan last March 17, 2006.

·                    Down below the watershed areas are the uplands or hillylands of the province, which, given their present state, necessitate rehabilitation. I have taken cognizance of this thru the implementation of the Integrated Hillylands Green Rehabilitation Program or simply, the HI-GREEN Program under the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist.

·                    Its objectives are 2-pronged. One is the protection and rehabilitation of the degraded hillylands, and, two, the provision of alternative livelihood or economic activities to upland settlers. Project components of the Program include the establishment of scion grove nursery and hillside cropping system. To date, 180 barangays expressed willingness to participate in the Program. 

·                    On-going to date, are the conduct of validation surveys to answer the questions what, where and when to plant. Initial report has it that for District 3, hillside cropping with rubber is the common choice of interested farmers.

Tourism Promotion

·                    Encouraged by the success of  last year’s HUDYAKA  event,   we  are in the process of organizing  another  HUDYAKA  festival  to  mark our 54^th Founding Anniversary  as  a  province.    With  our    Tourism  Council, headed by its dynamic Chairman, Atty. Alan Ranillo,  and supported by our Provincial Tourism Officer-Designate, Atty. Ivan Patrick Ang, in the forefront,  we     intend  to surpass  the  Hudyaka  2005. 

·                    LEST  we  be  misunderstood,  let  it be clarified that  HUDYAKA  is  not entirely  about merriment, mirth  and laughter.   Rather,  such festival  is  intended to show  case the  sights, products and people of  our  two (2)  component cities  and twenty  five  (25) towns. 

·                    We  have    to   encourage and inculcate  a  culture of local tourism  amongst our people.  In the same  manner,  we  have to send  word,  and  invitation,  if  you will,     to our  fellow provincemates in other parts of the Philippines, and   abroad,  to come  home,  to revisit  us.  We  were  assured  by our Tourism  Council  that  our modest investment will    return  to us  a hundred  fold.  For  every  balikbayan  and  visitor  in  our province   will send  ripples  of  economic  activity  and  profit  in  our business  sectors. 

Infrastructure Development

·                    As  integral part of our  campaign, we have committed to extend to each of our  695   barangays,  the  amount of P500,000,  by way of  projects.  In addition,  we  have  pledged  to  deliver to our  towns and cities,  the  sum of P1.0 Million financial assistance  each,  in terms of  projects.    We  are true to our promises. 

·                    Our Board Members,  through their PROJECT IDENTIFICATION FUND  (PIF), have  introduced  various projects all over the province.  On his own,  our Vice Governor has assisted and funded projects  at  the municipal  levels.   These projects,   the  number of which  will be released  by the Sangguniang  Panlalawigan,  in coordination  with our Engineering Office,   in effect,  have  made significant imprints of  improvement in the lives of our people at the sub-provincial level.  

·                    By the end of 2005,  we  have  delivered   some  553  projects involving a total investment of  P 224.054 Million Pesos,   spread  in  our three  (3)  congressional  districts,  from Rizal,  up to and including  Sibuco,  without  political  discrimination.  Four hundred sixty-four (464)  of these projects have been completed with a combined total project cost of  P 145.355 Million Pesos , while the remaining  projects costing P 78.699 Million Pesos are on-going as I speak now. Some of such projects    relate to  or  constitute  infrastructure projects.  

·                    This number excludes projects initiated by our Vice-Governor and Sangguniang Panlalawigan Members, which I was informed, total to more or less 300 projects.

·                    Farm-to-markets  roads  are intended to  create  the linkage  between our  towns and  barangays,  and  the marketplaces.

·                    With the farm-to-market roads we are implementing, rural farmers have all the reason to smile. They no longer have to literally carry on their heads sacks and sacks of their produce consisting mostly of corn, copra, vegetables and root crops, to the markets.

·                    Travel time of children to schools has considerably shortened and they no longer have to walk on muddy road paths to school and back.

·                    True to our vow to the people of Sibuco to end their physical isolation from the rest of the province, we implemented a number of road projects in the area, which to date, are in various stages of development.  These include the 18-kilometer Sibuco-Lunday Road, 6-kilometer Jatian-Lakiki Road; 10-kilometer Poblacion Sibuco-Sto. Niňo Road; 16-kilometer Sto. Niňo-Lawin Road; and the 18-kilometer Sibuco-Sirawai Road.

·                    To accelerate our implementation of infrastructure projects, we have deployed  balance fleets of equipment in the 1^st and 2^nd   Districts, and soon, we shall acquire a new fleet to be stationed in District 3. 

·                    For the record again, our completed and on-going  projects in 2005 include the following :

 Legal Audit

·                    We  have  instructed our  Provincial Attorney  to pursue  the legal audit on   our  properties,  personnel  and  transactions.   Towards  such end,  on our initiative,   the Sangguniang  Panlalawigan  has  tendered our demand  against Zamboanga City, through its City Council, to surrender, vacate and turn over to us our patrimonial properties within the City of Zamboanga City.

·                    We are committed to exert efforts to  resolve this  problem  which  traced  its  roots  54  years  ago  or  soon  after the  partition of the  mother  province of Zamboanga into the  two (2) provinces,  Zamboanga del  Norte  and Zamboanga  del  Sur.

·                    In a related development, within the City of Dipolog,  we  have   successfully  cleared  the land  in Sicayab  to pave the way to the construction of the  new Provincial Hospital.   The same is true  as regards  the  Provincial Agricultural  and  industrial  Center in Upper Irasan,  Roxas  thereby  allowing the  same  to  fulfil  its  mandate.  

·                    True to the spirit of devolution,   we   are  trying to  recover  for the provincial government  lands  from the  national offices.  Even as    we  are  exerting  efforts  to  evict  unauthorized  settlers in government lands,  we,  too,  are  cognizant of  our  responsibility to pay the landowners of the lands  which the provincial  government  has  been occupying  through the years.  
 

On the PEACE PROCESS:

·                    Amidst the on-going peace process between the national government and the MILF, we assure our brothers and sisters in the triple SB Municipalities that we shall be vigilant in ensuring the peace and order not only in their  area but throughout our province.  We  are ever mindful of the good counsel of  our  Municipal Mayors and other leaders   in the Triple SB  that we  cannot be complacent  or  being lulled  into a false sense of security.    

·                    We  have  continuously reminded  our  brothers  in the MILF  that  even  as  we  are  in solidarity  with  them  in seeking peace in our  land,   justice under the  law, however,  should  be upheld.  

·                    For    under our   system of government,  no  one should be   above the law. 

·                    We are fully aware that only through the climate of peace can we effectively deliver the basic services to our people.

In  conclusion,  we  have  made  bold  steps for the last  18 months,  all in  our  fervent  desire  to  deliver effective, efficient and economical  brand of  governance in our province.   Our People  deserve no less.

·                    As  earlier  discussed,  we  have  initiated  steps  and programs,  which   if  carried to  their  logical conclusion,  will  truly  uplift and improve the  quality of life of  our people.   On a  happy note,    recently,  the   Department of Budget and Management   notified  us that  the   share of the province  of the INTERNAL REVENUE ALLOTMENT  (IRA)  covering the past  years    in the amount of  some P 64.0 MILLION,  will be  released  by way  of  instalments,  within a  span of  seven (7)  years  or until the year  2013.    We  propose  to  join  the other  LGUs  in  the effort  to   convert  such  fund  into  immediate  utilization  without awaiting for the seven (7)  year  period.  With the early  monetization  of  such  fund,  we  will  be  able to strengthen  our financial  footing  to  implement  more aggressively  our  priority  projects  province-wide, and rebuild the once upon a time landmark of the province, the Zambaonga del Norte Multi-Purpose Convention Center which was demolished. 

·                    Knowing  as we  do that  our  finances  cannot  be solely   relied upon  in a  span of  15  months,    we  have  solicited,    prayed, lobbied  and  secured  monetary  aid and  assistance  from  the national government,  as  well as  other  government  offices,   such as the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office,  Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation,  Philippine International Trading Corporation for the establishment of the  BOTIKA NG PANLALAWIGAN.   

·                    We will continue to  vigorously lobby for the release of the money for our Dipolog Airport, which the good President has graciously acceded. This we shall pursue in partnership with the 3 Congressmen of the province and the City Mayor of Dipolog, Honorable Roberto Y. Uy.

·                    FINALLY,   in recognition of their  solidarity  with the provincial leadership,   may  we   request  our  partners in  local governance  to rise to be acknowledged –

- The Honorable Members of the House of Representatives, namely,  Congresswoman Cely Jalosjos Carreon,  Congressman Roseller “Matoy” Barinaga,  and Congressman  Cesar Jolosjos;  

- The Hon. Vice Governor and Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan;

- The Honorable Mayors of the  twin cities of Dipolog and  Dapitan,  and the twenty  five  (25)  municipalities;

·                    Likewise,  I  commend the following implementing offices of the provincial government who  carry  the  brunt  in  carrying out  our poverty-reduction initiatives. May we request the head and staff of concerned offices, if you are around, to please rise to be acknowledged:

ü                  Office of the Provincial Administrator headed by Atty. Rafael Z. Cabanlit;

ü                  Community Development Assistance Unit or CDAU headed by Mr. Roni Pacilan,

ü                  Provincial Health Office headed by Dr. Carmencita P. Icao, 

ü                  Heads and staff of the 10 government hospitals,

ü                  Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office headed by Ms. Grace Sabal,

ü                  Provincial Engineering Office headed by Engr. Ramon Ochotorena,

ü                  The Offices of the Provincial Veterinarian and Special Projects  headed by Mr. Vicente Sanchez, Jr.,

ü                  Office of the Provincial Agriculturist headed by Atty. Bernardo Concha,

ü                  Provincial Nutrition Office headed by Ms. Ma. Leila Realiza,

ü                  The Office of the Provincial Attorney and the Provincial Environment and Development Office headed by Atty. Jes Gal R. Sarmiento, Jr., 

ü                  Office of the Provincial Assessor headed by Mr. Al Hamoy;

ü                  ZDN Technology and Livelihood Development Center or TLDC headed by Mr. Climaco Villanueva, Jr. and Mr. James Montejar;

ü                  Our Provincial Planning and Development Office headed by Ms. Rosevic L. Ocampo;

ü                  Member-offices of the Local Finance Committee; Provincial Treasurer’s Office headed by  Mr. Orlando Patangan, and Provincial Budget Office headed by Ms. Joy Abitona;

ü                  Provincial Tourism Office headed by Atty. Ivan Patrick Ang;

ü                  Provincial General Services Office headed by Mr. Emmanuel Ladera;

ü                  Provincial Accounting Office, headed by Ms. Marivic Su. Carpitanos,

ü                  And all the members of the provincial government family

·                    Together with me and the Honourable Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan,  local and barangay officials,  they braved the heat of the sun and the cold rain, crossed winding rivers, trekked  muddy barangay roads for hours even days, climbed mountains, and penetrated unfriendly places   just to be able to reach and serve the underprivileged members of our  remote communities in the province. 

·                    We  have kept our faith  since we    took our oath of office  last June 30, 2004.   As  we  move  on  to   complete our    journey,  our first term    in the next  15 months,  be  assured  that  we  will   continue  to be  guided  by  our  primordial  aim and objective to serve our people  well.   UNA  SA TANAN,  ANG  KATAWHAN.

DAGHANG SALAMAT SA INYONG PAGDUYOG KANAMO. . .