LUBAO, Pampanga—Mayor Esmeralda “Esmie” G. Pineda on Friday (July 1) called on the support of the town’s Sangguniang Bayan behind her platform of governance designed for the next three years.
Pineda made a pitch of her administration’s agenda during the inaugural session of the town council, led by re-elected Vice Mayor Jay Montemayor.
The mayor bared her plans to establish a municipal dialysis center and another rural health unit to augment the town’s three existing RHUs.
Pineda said that health services, the flagship program of her first term of office, will be upgraded in the next three years with the improvement of health centers of various barangays; hiring of medical personnel for medical outreach programs in the communities; more medical and financial assistance; child care development; and, more dental care and medical missions.
Relative to health services, nutrition programs will also continue following the successful promotion of vegetable planting among school children, a project dubbed “Gulayan sa Barangay at Paaralan.”
“This program had already been existing since the past administrations and we shall continue implementing this to promote proper nutrition,” the mayor explained.
Supplemental feeding programs and provision of vitamins to all undernourished children and pregnant women will also remain among the municipal government’s thrusts.
Under education and social services, Pineda underscored school-building and daycare center construction or rehabilitation as her top agenda followed by the allotment of funds for internet subsidy of students doing online classes and for her scholarship program.
She said that the town will also sponsor livelihood trainings for persons with disabilities and out of school youths, along with continued relief assistance in times of calamities and her promise of free vaccines for all ages.
“We will also make sure to followup on our of certified seeds and fertilizer subsidy to farmers and equipment to our fisherfolk,” Pineda said as she enumerated her plans for the town’s agriculture and fisheries sector.
Infrastructure development will also be given due attentions with the construction of a convention and evacuation centers at the vicinity of the Lubao Bamboo Hub and Ecopark in Barangay Sta. Catalina
Farm to market roads, bridges and flood control structures in various barangays will also be improved or constructed by the municipal government on top of those to be funded by the national government.
The municipal government will also continue tapping the potentials of foreign employment like sending of seasonal farm workers to South Korea.
On the local front, Pineda said, her administration shall strengthen partnership with local employers such as La Rose Noire, Superl Philippines and Luen Thai Philippines, that have been employing hundreds of Lubao residents.
“To equip our labor force with the tools needed for higher employment opportunities, skills trainings will continue; and, with the assistance of partner agencies, we shall provide negokarts to ambulant vendors; push carts to scavengers; sewing machine and materials to home-based workers; and, motorboat engines for fisherfolks,” Pineda added.
For peace and order, Pineda vowed to improve the capability of police personnel and force multipliers in anti-criminality programs by providing trainings and more equipment to the local police force.
Along with the construction of a municipal evacuation center, plans are also underway to upgrade the local disaster risk reduction and management office with new vehicles and equipment.
Moreover, Pineda cited her programs for environment and sanitation, human resource management and tourism.
“At the moment, our tourism programs revolve around the improvement of the Bamboo Hub and Eco Park. These will include the restoration of the bambusetum; construction of walk ways, hanging bridge, board walk, floating restaurants, additional comfort rooms and water system,” Pineda further explained.
To bankroll all the specified programs and projects, the mayor asked the council to review or amend existing municipal tax ordinances and policies to generate more funds.
“Creation of additional taxes is not a priority. We may just need to maximize our existing sources of income and make efficient our collection system such as for real properties and businesses, among others,” Pineda pointed out.
Along with Mayor Pineda and Vice Mayor Montemayor, the new set of Sangguniang Bayan members were sworn into office on June 27. They are councilors Darwin Lingad, Edgar Dabu, Elmer Malit, Salvador Dimson, Jr., Corinthian de Leon, Paul Diaz, Nette de Padua, and Romeo Torno.