Davide Gives First SOPA

On his first state of the province address (SOPA), Governor Hilario Davide III on Monday highlighted his administration’s achievements for the past one year.

“With humility, this is a grand slam statement–a shining testament to the resiliency of the Cebuanos and effective performance of a rookie administration providing the enabling environment,” Davide said.

The governor quoted United Nations special representative for Disaster Risk Reduction Margareta Wahlstrom in the recent 6th Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Thailand saying:

“Manila could also adopt some best practices by model local governments like Albay and Cebu. The city government of Manila and other LGUs should embrace disaster resilience programs at the local level by strengthening the role of women, children, the youth and persons with disabilities in disaster risk reduction planning.”

Davide presented photos of a “work in progress” in the northern Cebu affected by last year’s super typhoon Yolanda.

He said he is happy that the P12.2-billion rehabilitation was already approved last May by the office of the presidential assistance for rehabilitation and recovery.

The said funding, which is supposedly intended for the 15 affected local government units in the north, earlier prompted the mayors and even Davide himself to complain because of the delay of its release.

The first-term governor also mentioned the improvement of some district and provincial hospitals in Cebu, which have achieved a level-1 standard.

“Because of the support of our Provincial Board and untiring efforts of our Provincial Health Office, the Department of Health has upgraded the status of 10 of our 16 province-owned hospitals to Level One. These are our hospitals in Bogo City, Danao City, Carcar City, Bantayan, Tuburan, San Francisco, Argao, Barili, Badian, and Sogod,” he said.

Reportedly, there are still some of these hospitals which still have no permanent surgical team, as one of the requirements to get a level-one standard.

Davide, however, said that their medical personnel is now 542 from 309 before he assumed office in July last year, and that his administration “will hire more.”

In education, Davide said for this year alone, the Capitol has allocated P149 million from its annual budget of P2.6 billion for scholarship programs, school buildings, books and other learning materials. It also gave P7 million to the 31 public schools damaged by Yolanda.

In agriculture, Davide reported that the province is preparing for “our participation” in the P27.5-billion World Bank-funded Philippine Rural Development Program of the Department of Agriculture.

The program, he explained, aims to increase productivity, lessens risks and vulnerability in farming, and help commercial farms reduce their cost.

Davide also said he will also propose to the PB to allocate P1 million financial assistance to each LGU for farmer-scientist training program’s farmers’ trainings, production and marketing.

Davide also mentioned the expansion project of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, which is expected to bring more visitors and commerce into Cebu; the P15-billion third bridge, which is expected to start construction next year and the trans-axial highway project.

“We are now studying how we can make more convenient, faster and more economical travel time north to south. On the macro level, efficient transportation and the mobility it confers have positive impact on production outputs, employment and incomes and the economy in general,” he said.