STATE OF THE MUNICIPAL  ADDRESS DELIVERED BY MAYOR JULIETA N. FLORES DURING THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE SANGGUNIANG BAYAN HELD ON JANUARY 13, 2010 AT THE SB SESSION HALL

 Honorable Vice Mayor Jose Rey Noble, Honorable Members of the Sangguniang Bayan, Heads of national and local government offices, invited guests from different sectors of the municipality, ladies and gentlemen…

Today marks another significant event in my eleven years of service as the duly elected mayor of our town, for today, I will again report to you what your local government has accomplished for CY 2009.

The wheel of development in a local government unit just like the Municipality of Miagao is comparable to a jeepney full of passengers. I am your  driver and all of you are my passengers who tell me which direction I should go and caution me where to stop. I also have a conductor who spots for additional passengers to occupy the vacant seats and carries baggage for loading or unloading and we could assign that role to our Municipal Administrator.

All passengers are suppose to pay for their rides. (There are some however, who are wise enough to elude the driver and the conductor). In return, the money that the driver receive from the passengers is spent for the gasoline and maintenance cost of the jeepney so that it will always be in a good  running condition. (When the jeepney  is always bug down that means to say that the driver or the conductor is doing something with the money.

This is how we  operate or administer our local government unit in Miagao. It is just good for us that our jeepney is always in a good running condition, indicative of the dedication, integrity and serious efforts our local officials are showing to bring forth development and progress to our town.

As we always remind our employees, we adhere to an honest, transparent and God-fearing governance. 
Let us start reporting to you our Budget for the year 2009. We have a total budget of Php 76,099,145.00. This figure is over and above by P 5,366,540.00 compared to our 2008 Annual Budget. Upon recommendation by the Local Finance Committee and the Local Development Council in the case of  the Twenty Percent (20%) Development Fund  and duly approved by the Sangguniang Bayan the 2009 Annual Budget was programmed for the following expenditures:

1.    General            -  69,849,145.00
2.    Market            -   4,000,000.00    
3.    Slaughterhouse        -     500,000.00
4.    SEF            -   1,750,000.00

Our budget for the twenty percent development fund which is the money set aside for the implementation of our development programs and projects was also reappropriated for the following expenditures:

1. General Services     – 36,843,394.00     – 48%
2. Social Services        – 19,447,744.00     -   26%
3. Economic Services    – 19, 808,007.00    -   26%

The rundown of our 2009 Annual Budget has served as guide to the Local Chief Executive and Department Heads with regards to their individual office expenditures for the same calendar year.

In my State of Local Government Report submitted to DILG, I emphasize tangible accomplishments in the social sector especially in the areas of health, education and social services. After all, these are banner programs under my administration continuously propagated for the past eleven years.

Under our health development program, Miagao has developed tremendously and now several steps ahead compared to other municipalities in the Province of Iloilo. We should be proud of our 24-Hour Emergency Clinic which is the only one perhaps in the Visayas Region. From a single-room accommodation in 1997 we were able to expand our services to 4-room accommodation now, with a staff room , a stock room and emergency room.
Through the generous assistance of the Help Filipino Children Foundation, represented by a Miagawanon Diana Mondragon-Halmans and School Lyceum Schondeln, which are based in Netherlands a Birthing Center, Pediatric Ward, Childrens Playroom and medical equipment were donated last May 25, 2009.  The new sections are integral component of the 24-Hour Emergency Health Services program.  With this development, the West Visayas State University-Medical Center accredited the facility as a Newborn Screening Center. 

Part of the improvement of the Main Health Station this year is the renovation and relocation of the doctors consultation offices together with the construction of nurses and midwives quarters. We are very lucky in Miagao to have three regular doctors and one on-call for the emergency clinic. 

In June 2009, Galing Pook Foundation of Asian Institute and Management acknowledge the application of the 24- Hour Emergency Health Program as nominee for the Innovation and Excellence in Local Governance.

I know that our expanded health program has entailed added responsibilities and work to our health personnel. Some of them might already be clamoring of the extra load they have.

But I think it is just a matter of organizing for us to be able to cope-up with our load. We hired additional workers for our emergency clinic and established linkages with Iloilo Doctors College for volunteers hence we still could operate our 24-Hour emergency clinic and our Main health Station normally.

For our indigent program on health we have enrolled 2,173 card holders of the National Health Insurance Program and 149 of them has  already availed of the Direct Observed Treatment Short Course Program (DOTS) for DOH for tuberculosis patients.

The Miagao MHO also continuously rendered its voluntary Blood Donation program that earned the National Sandugo Award in 2003. Medical and Dental Misssions are common but worth to mention are the Florida Surgical Mission at Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) Michigan Surgical Mission at WVSU-MC, Canadian Surgical Mission at WVMC, French Surgical Mission at Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial Hospital,  Miagao Parish Medical Missions supported by non-government organizations and the Sisters of Charity of St. Anne.  

So far on the record for the health program we have a total of 2,473 patients accommodated by the emergency clinic and 13,558 patients have undergone medical services and 1,971 patients for dental services at the MHO.

Still under the social development program, our concern for education is also paramount.

This year we have enrolled 121 college students under our Municipal College Educational Assistance Program. All of our scholars are sons and daughters of less fortunate members of the community in terms of income. We have a set of criteria to be followed and this is strictly enforced by our in-charge in the person of Ms. Clarita Monteclaro who herself is an educator by profession. The municipality has budgeted One Million Pesos for this program for school year 2009-2010.

I would like also to mention that our scholarship program for high school students is still being implemented through our barangay councils setting aside certain funds for the purpose.

I consider this as exemplary effort on the part of the local officials taking into account the social and economic impact of the program on the lives of the beneficiaries.

I believe that educating our children is the key to economic and social progress. That is why I personally pushed for the establishment of additional high schools. For the past five consecutive years our efforts were spent unwasted since we had realized the establishment of the San Jose National High School and the extension classes of the Miagao National High School at Miranda aside from the already established Bacolod National High School.

What is providential in this project is that we had spent our local resources establishing new high schools with minimal assistance from the national government.

On the social welfare program, I am also happy to report that so far, we have maintained a strong stand to pursue our goals and objectives for this particular sector. This statement of mine is well supported by the amount of money spent in the implementation of projects and programs under the Office of the Municipal Social welfare Officer in the person of Mrs. Rosalinda S. Mueda. 

In our Poverty Alleviation Program alone, we spent a total of                      Php 1,080,000.00 for this year. A total of 1,403 deserving clients were served by this program which included financial assistance for purchase of medicines or admission to hospital, food, transport and housing assistance.

The National Health Insurance Program which is also under the supervision of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office is another tangible component of our social development program. This program has gradually gained recognition and acceptance among our barangay officials thus increasing the member of beneficiaries from 1,817 in 2008 to 1,990 in 2009. The municipality has allocated this year an amount of Php 500,000.00 representing 40% of the annual premium for NHIP. The barangays on the other hand shoulder the 60% of the annual premium.

Record at the MSWDO shows that more or less eighty (80) family heads or their dependents had been confined in hospitals and availed assistance from room, medicine, laboratory, operating room and doctors fee offered by the program. Some had received refund of their expenses incurred during hospitalization.

Our Day Care Program which is also being implemented under the MSWDO could also highlight several accomplishments. We had successfully opened new centers at barangays Tigmalapad, Igcabidio, Onop, Tig-amaga, Ongyod, Sag-on, San Jose and Calampitao thereby increasing the number of day care centers from sixty-one (61) in 2008 to sixty-four (64)  in 2009. Correspondingly our recipients had increased from  1,492 in 2008 to 1,720 in 2009.

It has been the policy of the LGU to provide and equip our Day Care Workers with the knowledge and skills to be an effective Day Care Workers. For this year the MSWDO in collaboration with the PSWDO conducted a 5-days training workshop along Phonetics and Story Telling at Punta Villa Resort last summer of this year 2009. Likewise, an Orientation-Seminar was conducted on the New Accreditation Tool for Day Care Workers and Centers. This is to ensure that our Day Care program is within the standards set by the DSWD more so prepare them with the upcoming accreditation which is one of the criteria in the Excel Awards conducted yearly by DILG. 

Last June 30, 2009 the Local Government Unit of Miagao represented by yours truly entered into a Memorandum of Agreement between the Evangelistic International Ministries with address at South Magnolia AR, USA and Here’s Hope Ministries, Inc. both represented by Rev. Donald Ray Newsom. The latter committed to provide Supplemental feeding to the below normal pre-elementary children for a period of 120 days. The program dubbed as “Manna from Heaven” donated 200 boxes of dehydrated food items as to the below normal day care/kindergarten enrollees. Each box contains 12 kilograms of dehydrated vegetables and meat substitute. Record shows that out of a total of 1,075 pre-elementary children 531 of which were male 544 and female.

For our Senior Citizens we were able to issue 480 OSCA IDs. The national government through DSWD downloaded to Miagao LGU an amount of Php 811,000.00 for a one-time “ Katas ng VAT Tulong Para kay Lolo at Lola” which provides a Php 500.00 each to 1,622 senior citizens last February 18-19, 2009.

Peace and order situation of the municipality on the other hand is reported to be relatively normal. Insurgency problem has dropped down to almost zero level. This is attributable to the presence and active campaign of the 12th IB Philippine Army based at Camp Monteclaro and non-conformity of people in the barangays to the taxation activities of the NPA.

As reported by the PNP, crime solution efficiency was at 96.07 percent. The total crime committed for the year was 194 and total cases solved was 184. Most of these crimes committed are non-index crimes ranging from mere traffic violations to slight physical injuries.

From the Office of the Fire Marshall on the other hand, nine (9) fire incidents were reported for the year. Six (6) involving residential homes, one (1) forest fire, one (1) mercantile and one (1) school with total estimated damages amounting to more or less Php 4,030,000.00.

All of these accomplishments I have mentioned under the social sector could not had been achieved without having a healthy economy.

Topographically speaking, we Miagaowanons are so lucky to be living in a place which is partly coastal and partly mountainous area, where livelihood opportunities are abundant. We can have our fish and other marine products at sea and our crops and poultry and livestock at the farm. Initially, these factors make our economy very stable. That is why there is no hunger in Miagao. Of course as long as everyone is doing their part to have a decent life.

On the side of the local government we are continuously exerting our efforts to improve a lot with regards to economic development. We are continuously improving the operation of our public market which is our main business center in the poblacion.

Lately we re-arranged the location of some tables and stands on the fruit and vegetable section to provide greater mobility to buying public, improved parking areas and traffic around the public market and reviewed assignment of market personnel.

If we are trying to continuously improve our economic facilities in the poblacion area, we are simultaneously introducing economic interventions in the rural areas through our Secondary Growth Center Development Project. Recently, we were able to establish a satellite market at Barangay San Jose for the San Jose Center Economic Alliance Incorporated. The market in San Jose will cater to the economic activities in the central part of the town comprising more or less 15 neighboring barangays.

We have now successfully organized two Secondary Growth Centers and built two satellite markets. We are going to establish another center at Miranda for 2010.

Another important accomplishment we had was the organization of Municipal Economic Enterprise Office which will eventually serve as vital arm of the LGU in the increase of its local income.

The project will expand the income-generating program of the LGU by operating the public market, Justice Ramon B. Britanico Hall, Municipal Cemetery, Slaughterhouse, Transport Parking Areas, and the Water District as public enterprises.

From these projects the municipality will be able to generate additional income and provide opportunities for employment to many of our unemployed graduates and professionals.

Today we have an annual local income of more or less 16 Million Pesos. With the full Operation of the Public Enterprises we can increase our local income as high as 20 to 25 Million Pesos in the next two or three years.

Presently we are conducting the Barangay Management Information System Project-a baseline survey of the barangays which is being jointly sponsored by the LGU and UPV-BIDANI.

As soon as the survey is completed we expect to have all the data needed for us to plan out and strategize our operations in the LGU. This will hasten the implementation of our regular programs and projects and lure more investors to our town.

Of course, all of these accomplishments I had mentioned are product of cohesive efforts shared by the implementers in the public sector and the participation extended by the private citizenry.

As I have always said, despite our meager resources we have done a lot for our constituents and many of these are in the form of infrastructure projects which I am going to enumerate to you as follows:

1.    Concreting of Mat-y-Banbanan Road under the Kilos Asenso Project

The total estimated cost of this project amounts to P2,033,704.00 for concreting of an estimated 300 meters by 5 meters  wide road from Mat-y going to Indag-an. Fifty percent of the funding or an amount of Php 1,016,882.00 is born by the LGU as counterpart.

2.     Improvement of Various Municipal Roads

A total amount of Php 998,376.00 was spent for the asphalt overlay of various municipal roads which include beautification and construction of railings at Noble Street and improvement of sidewalk at Zulueta Avenue.

3.  Other roads opening and improvement projects in the barangays which include canalization and riprapping which amounted to a total of  Php750,920.00

4. Water System Projects which amounted to a total of Php 162,441.00

5. Other infrastructure projects such as satellite market, gabion river bank protection, overflow and electrical connections which amounted to a total of    Php 529,975.00

6. Improvement of Justice Ramon B. Britanico Hall amounting to a total of          Php 2,000,000.00.

7. Improvement of the Emergency Clinic amounting to Php 1,700,000.00
8. Improvement of the Old Municipal Health Office amounting to                           Php 603,094.000.

9. Construction of Covered Court at Miagao Central Elementary School Campus amounting to Php 595,000.00.

10. Construction of Liga Hall at Barangay Guibongan amounting to                        Php 1,031,000.00.

11. Improvement of the Public Market amounting to Php 485,184.73

12. Establishment of the FITS Center amounting to Php 200,000.00.

13. Improvement of the Municipal Cemetery amounting to Php 200,000.00.

14. Other projects that include improvement of plaza, basketball court and other buildings and facilities amounting to Php 45,164.00

15. Repair of day care centers and health centers amounting to                  Php 450,000.00.

16. Rewiring of the Municipal Building amounting to Php 254,784.85.

17. Tourism Related Projects amounting to Php 35,000.00.

18. Social Development Projects amounting to Php 46,000.00

19. Other projects that include MRF, schools and municipal building amounting to Php 684,435.00.

I intend to deliver just a short report, but my report will not be completed without the development coming from the local government sector.

As you all know I have a strong line-up of department heads much more with the presence  of our Municipal Administrator who is always in my side to assist in running the affairs of local governance. (If he wins as provincial Board member I am afraid I have to hire a replacement, but I am quite reluctant because I am not sure if it is as good as our present municipal administrator.

We are presently studying the reorganization of our personnel due to the directives coming from DILG to maintain the 45-55 personnel cap. We almost did not have our extra bonuses because of this. We are just very thankful to Mrs. Jane N. Valenzuela our Budget Officer and Mrs. Mary Grace P. Cepe our Acting Municipal Accountant, and Mrs. Aida F. Deramas our Acting Municipal Treasurer that they have convened to have the courage to sign the approval of the extra cash gift. Anyway we were all very happy about that. 

Our total personnel compliment as of December 31, 2009 is 175. This includes 138 permanent officials and employees; 1 temporary; 4 co-terminous; 12 elective and 17 casual employees.

Yearly training program is provided for our employees. Fifty-one (51) training or seminars were attended or conducted by the LGU for our officials and rank and file employees.

Incentives such as productivity pay, loyalty award, step increment, monetization of leave credits, 13th month pay and overtime pay were also made available to our officials and employees. Early this year the increase in salary of employees was implemented.

Our tourism development was able to gain an award as the Most Outstanding One Town One Product (OTOP) in the Province of Iloilo with our loom-weaving industry as our entry. It also received a recognition as finalist in the Search for the Most Effective OTOP Implementer in region VI. Both awards were given by DTI Region VI.

As part of the promotional activities the “Rigodon de Hablon”, a dance of honor featuring 36 pairs of distinguished men and women of Miagao wearing town’s famous handwoven textile was staged during the coronation of the Queen of Miagao last February 15, 2009 during the highlight of the Salakayan Festival and a repeat performance during the celebration of the “Semana Sang Iloilo” last April 9, 2009 at the Capitol Grounds.

The Rigodon members were featured in two special issues of the Cream de la Crème Iloilo City’s elite lifestyle magazine.

The Office of the Municipal Civil Registrar has also reported 980 live births;454 are males 526 are females.

The total member of deaths on the otherhand is 425; 212 are male and 213 are female.

The total number of marriages is 248.

I wish to continue with my report this afternoon, but I think I had already talked a lot, so I will reserve the rest in other forum like this later.

What I had reported this afternoon are the most important ones which I wish everyone should know.

Again, My Greetings to all and God Bless Us All.

Thank You.