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Inaugural Address
June 30, 2004 |
It warms my heart to see all of you come and bear witness to this occasion.
Today happens a significant transition with the formal assumption of a new set
of political leaders for our beloved town of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur. All of you my
dear townmates who have taken part in the May 10, 2004 electoral exercise
deserve my deepest commendation. Indeed, seeing and feeling your overwhelming
support all the way through this moment makes this event truly special and
meaningful. For this, I thank you all.
Some years back, I was then an active Major in the Philippine National Police, I
started to reckon to my very own hometown by occasionally coming home and
extending some assistance to needy townmates. I took the sacrifice of leaving my
family, position and business in Metro Manila thinking it a very sublime
obligation to share a bit of what I have to be of little help to impoverished
citizens of this municipality. Then in the year 2000, conflict brewed between
then President Joseph Estrada and then Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson
which started with the so-called “juetengate expose”. As the latter lobbied for
support and on to the impeachment proceedings and the second EDSA revolution
that followed, I had to play the role of chief security aide to the former
Governor until everything culminated in the swearing in of then Vice-President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as 14th President of the Republic on January 20, 2001.
The months that ensued, I thought I had to live a silent life with you here in
Tagudin but the Governor desired that I run for Mayor which I so abided.
Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful to win your mandate. This did not frustrate me
and I continued to serve you in a private capacity until lately, we were able to
work out a covenant with my former opponent then incumbent Mayor Jose V. Bunoan,
Jr. for a unity ticket in the just concluded May 10, 2004 elections. True to
everybody’s expectations and with forces already joined together, you have given
me this overwhelming mandate to be your Municipal Mayor with a record-breaking
11,000 votes in the said elections.
As your new Municipal Mayor, I seek for your total support and cooperation
especially Honorable Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson and the newly constituted
Sangguniang Bayan under the tutelage of Honorable Vice-Mayor Peter Manzano for
the realization of the following programs of government for the three years of
our administration:
1. Honest, Transparent and Systematic Governance, Graft and Corruption
will be done away in all projects, programs and activities of the municipal
government. Before implementation thereof, all of these will have to be
incorporated in the Annual Development Plan to be consulted with members of the
Municipal Development Council. All projects will have to pass the necessary
public bidding and will be strictly implemented according to the duly approved
programs of work and bill of materials. All public servants under the
administrative supervision of the Office of the Mayor shall be made to serve
with utmost diligence, dedication and sincerity, observing the required office
hours and basic courtesy in rendering services to clients and visitors.
Processing of all papers like certifications, permits and licenses will be
systematized, possibly in a one-stop-shop, thereby hastening the release thereof
to all applicants. The municipal government will establish strong linkage with
all locally-based non-government / people’s organizations and upon proper
accreditation, they will actively take part in local governance through
membership in Local Special Bodies. A Newsletter will have to be put in print to
regularly inform all sectors of all activities undertaken by the municipal
government including its accomplishments.
2. Community Progress
2.1. Education for All
Not only children and youth of school age will be given access to education.
Even the out-of-school youth and the elderly will be accorded non-formal
education through various skills trainings in a “rolling school.” To improve the
quality of the local educational system, remedial classes will be held for
academically poor students to enable them cope up with their peers. Physical
check-up will be given to school pupils from time to time and supplemental
feeding and medicines will be given free for positively malnourished children.
In my personal capacity, I shall continue to assist poor but deserving college
students under the Judge Roque M. Verzosa, Sr. Scholarship Foundation.
2.2. Employment & Livelihood Opportunities
Our administration will initially lay out the amount of P1 million to assist
constituents who are incapable of providing their placement fees for employment
abroad under a “Fly-Now-Pay-Later Program.” For this, I solicitously ask our
most esteemed Provincial Governor to please provide another P1 Million as
additional seed fund. We shall endeavor to invite prospective investors to put
up businesses and industries in Tagudin to provide additional local employment
opportunities. Initially, I already received encouraging words for the
establishment of a local branch of Equitable – PCI Bank and from my
foreigner-friends from Korea who had pledged to put up industries in our
municipality. We shall see to it that a considerable amount from the local
development fund will also be allocated for livelihood programs for the benefit
of low-income families.
2.3. Tourism Promotion
All historical landmarks found in Tagudin will be given utmost importance. Their
sites and the roads leading thereto will be improved and Tagudin with all its
attributes will be included in the website so that it will be magnified into the
whole world. The putting up of lodging houses, resorts and souvenir shops will
be very much encouraged as additional enticement to incoming tourists and
visitors.
2.4. Women Empowerment
Recognizing the vital role women play in various local development efforts, our
administration pledges total support to all women groups in the municipality
like the TALA, RIC, the Tagudin Women’s Cooperative, the TBWA and others.
Funding assistance will be requested from higher authorities to be distributed
as soft loans for various livelihood projects. For this, I ask our two (2) women
councilors as well as the ex-officio Sanggunian members to remind me along this
line from time to time.
2.5. Health and Social Welfare
Medical and dental missions will be occasionally undertaken in the clusters of
barangays. Health insurance will be continuously provided to indigent citizens.
Barangay health workers will always be activated to assist in the more effective
implementation of all local health programs and services. The administration
shall continue to extend support to the Day Care Service program as well as
programs for the elderly. We shall not fail to extend relief / assistance to
adversely affected families in times of inclement weather or at the aftermath of
natural and man-made calamities.
2.6. Peace and Order
As a former police officer, I myself shall see to it that our local police force
shall promptly respond in the event of crimes or disorders perpetrated elsewhere
in the municipality. I enjoin the staff of the local police station to establish
a Hotline to receive such complaints. An adequately manned police outpost will
be put in place at the market premises to avert the likely occurrence of any
crime and to ensure a smooth flow of traffic around the main public market.
2.7. Infrastructure Development
The municipal government will undertake a total renovation of the existing
public market, possibly by constructing a two-storey market building. The
drainage systems in the Poblacion will be properly checked and cleanliness will
be maintained therein at all times. The municipality will endeavor to locate a
sanitary landfill for the proper disposal of all garbages. A new site for a
public cemetery will be acquired. The municipal building will be further
improved and streamlined according to particular services being rendered to the
clientele. Roads, bridges and school buildings in the different barangays will
be improved and well maintained.
2.8. Agriculture Development
The administration shall continue to assist the National Irrigation
Administration in the improvement / rehabilitation of irrigation canals. It
shall endeavor to assist farmers by giving free fertilizers. Hybrid / certified
seeds will be provided to the farmers to produce higher yields. The municipal
government shall try to scout for possible markets of locally grown products. A
cold storage will be constructed and various farming / fishing paraphernalias
will be acquired for the farmers and fishermen.
These are but few programs which I had been espousing during our 45 – day
electoral campaign. With the help of our higher authorities under the continuing
administration of Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and
especially Honorable Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson who will be our primary
benefactor, I am confident we would be able to achieve our goals and objectives
and perhaps, God willing, accomplish even more. But we, your officials, can not
do all the work all alone. So that at this particular juncture, I ask of all
Tagudinians, here and abroad, to please unite for the common purpose of pushing
a more prosperous, well-disciplined and environment – friendly town of Tagudin.
If we love Tagudin, we must set aside politics and our selfish motives for the
moment and give our own respective shares to make our beloved town a really
better place for all of us to live in.
You have given me the overwhelming support in the last elections. I thus hope
and pray that I would be able to live up to your expectations, hopes and
aspirations. With all the blessings of the Almighty for good health in our
bodies and peace in our land, as well as your wholesome cooperation, we shall
see at the end of three (3) years the physical and moral transformation of our
dearly beloved Tagudin.
To the members of my family, especially my dear wife whom I consider to be
always the fairest in the world, I beg for your total understanding, care and
support. To all of you my most valued townmates, ni JUN VERZOSA nga inayat ken
intandudoyo, DINAKAYTO PULOS BAYBAY-AN.
Dios unay ti agngina ket ulitek ti mangiyebkas ti naimpusuan ken napalaos unay a
panagyamanko kadakayo amin. |
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