• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Amid drawbacks and challenges experienced by Negrenses in previous years, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday declared that the “state of the province is good.”
In his 3rd State of the Province Address held at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City, Lacson attributed the current state of the province to the support of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan led by Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, heads of various Capitol departments and offices, his fellow public servants, especially the mayors, among other partners.
Right now, we have a good trust standing among our people and peers. Let us sustain and try to heighten such trust and confidence of the Negrenses in their provincial government, Lacson said.
For more than one hour, he enumerated the accomplishments of various Capitol departments and the SP in the fields of agriculture, food and security, construction of infrastructure projects, trade, economic, investment advancement, as well as employment opportunities, health and welfare, peace and order, delivery of health services, sustainable environment management and tourism development, access to quality education, cultural sports and ICT, brand of governance and human development, among others.
Lacson said he envisions a more advanced and competitive health service in the Hospital Operations Department, by increasing the bed capacity of Cadiz District Hospital from 50 to 100 beds
With the completion of Operating and Delivery Rooms, he said the bed capacity of Lorenzo D. Zayco District Hospital will also be increased from 25 to 100 beds, and the dialysis unit building at the Ignacio L. Arroyo Memorial Hospital in Sagay will soon be completed, with two more to be established in Kabankalan City and Valladolid.
He also reported that 47,861 members of the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program (NOCHP) availed of free medical and health services, and outpatient care, from 2022 to June this year.
Lacson further reported that the Negros Occidental Language and Information continues to be a potent driving force in harnessing the sustained expansion and continued growth of the Information Technology-Business Process Management industry in the province.
From August last year to July this year, he said that 616 scholars successfully completed the competency-based training programs of NOLITC, with an 86 percent employment rate.
Under its 7-point agenda under ABANSE NEGRENSE, Lacson also reported that the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division, which is mandated to provide equal access to educational opportunities to Negrense youth, has 3,234 scholars under 25 scholarship categories.
He also revealed that Negros Occidental has attained a rice sufficiency level of 84 percent, with farm mechanization resulting in lower costs of preparation, transplanting and harvesting services.
Lacson reported the completion of road concreting and upgrading of 29.88 kilometers of provincial roads with a budget of P457.5 million, while 9.14 kilometers of concreting are still ongoing.
We believe that farm to market roads and other rural infrastructures will contribute to more economic activities and development, as well as promote peace and order at the local level, the governor further said.
Lacson also said that the Cybercenter also generated an income of P64.3 million from its rental revenues from January to June this year.
As we move forward, let us continue to make Negros Occidental a place where opportunities and progress are available to those who are willing to work for it, while adhering to our values in the face of rapid modernization, the governor said.
In order to reach these common aspirations, we must face all obstacles together, as a united people and province, Lacson further stressed.*
