Mayor Pablo C. Ortega, a former councilor and board member, credits the continuing productive working relationship with the legislative branch for sustaining his administration’s platform of government on continuity and innovation.
The City Council, under Vice Mayor Pancrasio Q. Nisce, has passed 13 ordinances and 265 resolutions for 2008 and has been upgraded to cater to the public such as the computerized Sanggunian Information System which stored ordinances enacted since 1946. Retrieval of records, including the archives system, is estimated at 2 minutes.
The Mayor also emphasized that getting all city government’s transactions through computerization will help curb red tape and protect the residents from graft and corruption. These are the Tricycle Regulatory Assessment and Billing System; Property Inventory System; Electronic New Government Accounting System (ENGAS), among others.
With these, the city government has also launched a Government Transaction and Document Tracking System and Accountability Model. In the cases of red tape, it ensures smooth, transparent and accountable governance procedures and organizational structure in place.
He believes that the city, if it operates in a transparent environment, would ensure accountability for its processes, thus faster and more accurate service is provided such as the full E-Governance.
“We can never be at par with the global community unless we do not embrace Information Technology and E-Governance,” he stressed.
The city’s website is kept upgraded and active by its Information Technology Department and would soon launch a new one. This would provide public access to key information, documents and other features that is city-related.
Tricycles, which comprise a significant part for public utility vehicle among residents, are now placed in an Integrated Strategic Systems Plan that addresses the franchise, operation, regulation, assessment and billing for their operation. This also includes the very important provisions of Tricycle Ordinance, documented and monitored by city government personnel. This is done in partnership with Lorma Foundation –IT department.
The city has allotted Php 750,000 for the acquisition and operation of the ENGAS but launching was delayed due to the national governments order that implementation should be deferred pending the updates of new chart of accounts. Fifty-nine barangays of the city underwent the NGAS seminar and would soon implement the barangay-based accounting system.
The city government, which has an estimated value of Php472, 353, 643 was also updated and improved through the property inventory system following rules provided by the local government code and audit rules. With this, accountability, maintenance, and procurement systems were improved.
On environment, Mayor Ortega proudly went with Barangay Lingsat officials, Councilor Rodolo Abat and Punong Barangay Alejandrino Mondina its Malacañang to accept the Nationwide Search for Model Barangays for Eco-Waste Management System 2006-2007 award won by the said barangay from President Gloria Arroyo. The barangay, which also received Php 1-million prize, was the best among 6 other barangays in the country.
The city, which already operates the 10.6 hectare-Engineered Sanitary Landfill fully, will soon avail of the 25 percent grant from the national government to acquire a compactor, equipment that would help pulverize solid wastes to save space and slower the 15-25 year-lifespan of the landfill. The most-sought and visited project of the city government has been financed by the LOGOFIND, who lent Php171-million. While other LGUs in the country are having problems about their garbage, the city has hurdled the predicament, through the foresights of provincial and city officials. It still implements strictly the REUSE, REDUCE and RECYCLE programs that residents follow loyally.
In line with this, the City Council also passed an ordinance to impose tipping fees at the Landfill as required by LOGOFIND. The City Environment Office has been tasked by the Mayor to explore the possibility of all stakeholders to shoulder garbage fees according to their solid waste produce so that while households pay their garbage fees depending on their wastes, environmental equity should be enforced also on businesses and industries to assume and pay garbage fees proportionate to their waste generation.
The city also maintains three marine protected areas in Barangays Lingsat, Poro and the Kasay. This aims to regulate over-fishing and protect the sea against destruction. It has allocated 11.26 percent from the total amount of Php 280.7-million executive budgets for Environment and Human Ecological Security. It was also learned that 70 percent of the 1-million trees which was planted and completed in 2007 survived and is preparing a Tree-Planting Map and Plan to accurately target the areas for reforestation and re-greening.
The Mayor also added that his administration continues to support education and youth programs as they provide funding of additional hiring of teachers under their local school board; operational funds for ten additional schools built from borrowed LOGOFIND funds; providing work and review books for students and teachers respectively. The youth is provided volunteer summer jobs programs and on-the-job trainings through the Sangguniang Kabataan and the Students Body Organization.
On health services, the Mayor said that Php2.5 million is allocated to provide medicines and hospital assistance for qualified city residents. Last year, 8,077 families were beneficiaries. It also acquired resistance and body-building equipment and set aerobics classes three times a week for all interested residents. Last year, the city hosted a fun run where 3,200 runners registered in different events. Employees are allowed two hours of sports activities. Every anniversary celebration in March, city government employees compete in sports activities.
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