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Lacson vows to rebuild amid pandemic

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BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN

Newly-elected officials of Negros Occidental (left to right) Board Members Valentino Miguel Alonso, Samson Mirhan, Anton Occeno, Rommel Debulgado, Araceli Somosa, Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Board Members Rita Gatuslao, Manuel Frederick Ko, Andrew Montelibano, Sixto Pal Guanzon, Jeffrey Tubola, Andrew Martin Torres and Jose Benito Alonso.*

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson outlined his three-year priority programs and projects for Negros Occidental, as he pledged his utmost dedication and commitment to do not just according to his best, but according to “what is called for and what is necessary.”

Lacson considered the inauguration of all provincial elected officials not only as the start of a new term of governance, “but also of a decisive period, of a major turning point for Negros Occidental.”

“I would not be as confident to assume this office if I were not certain that the entire Sanggunian Panlalawigan, under the leadership of a good friend, the Honorable Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer and the entire Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, are not only capable, but are ready of sharing in full measure, the hard work, dedication, and probity that government service demands,” Lacson stressed during his inaugural address on June 25 at the Provincial Capitol Grounds in Bacolod City.

He took his oath of office before San Carlos Judge Amy Alabado-Avellano, while Judge Irene Bonghanoy administered the oath of Vice Gov. Ferrer.

Sagay RTC Executive Judge Reginald Fuentebella also administered the oathtaking of 12 elected board members, in the presence of their respective families.

No people in recent history have been called upon to overcome the obstacles that tested our resolve as human beings. Yet, I have great faith in our ability as a people, as Negrenses, to overcome, Lacson said.

Our country’s long-standing fight against poverty, unemployment, lawlessness, substance abuse, climate change and the recent global crisis caused by COVID-19, demand no less than our united and absolute cooperation and accord, he stressed.

In his three more years as elected governor of Negros Occidental, Lacson said that the provincial government will fully implement the Universal Health Care Program, expand and strengthen the existing Provincial Health Board through the six Inter-local Health Zones.

 The Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City, the province’s premier hospital, fully equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, will be converted from a Level 2 to Level 3 hospital to accommodate more than 300 patients.

The Lorenzo D. Zayco District Hospital in Kabankalan City and Cadiz District Hospital are also up for upgrading from Level l to Level 2, to serve up to 100 inpatients, as well as the modernization of equipment and infrastructure facilities of eight other district hospitals.

He is also urging local government units to adopt the One Hospital Command program to further simplify the process of providing constituents with rescue and medical interventions in times of emergency.

Lacson said that the provincial government will also establish the Centers for Children in Situation of Armed Conflict, Children in Conflict with the Law or the Bahay Pag-asa and Half-way House for rebel returnees, operationalize the sectoral offices for the Solo Parents, Local Youth Development, Senior Citizens, Persons with Disabilities and Women.

Given the COVID-19 and Typhoon Odette experiences, the provincial government will also expand the scope of services of its Provincial Disaster and Management Office to manage resources, including manpower, to effectively match the emergency needs of our constituents through the One Hospital Command, Emergency Rescue 911 and Command and Response Center.

It will also further improve the set-up of our Automated Early Warning System with the installation of repeaters in critical areas of Local Government Units to improve the response of the concerned barangays in times of emergency.

Education remains a priority of his administration, as Lacson said he will continue to expand province scholarship programs to make it more inclusive and accessible to all sectors, particularly the underprivileged.

The provincial government will continue to work closely with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Armed Forces of the Philippines and National Police, civil-society groups, and multi- stakeholders to implement its peace-building activities, particularly in rural communities.

We will continue to provide socio-economic interventions to our former rebels, including subsidies for the education and health cards of their dependents, he added.

Lacson also said that the Provincial Veterinary Office and Office of the Provincial Agriculturist will also complement and integrate their services to provide our people sufficient food sources — livestock, poultry, swine, crops, vegetables and marine products.

On the other hand, the Office of the Provincial Agriculture Office is also strengthening the potential of farm centers in the cities of Bago, Himamaylan and Victorias and the municipality of Moises Padilla, and to increase the number of seed-banks all over the province, as Lacson vowed to intensify the drive towards farm mechanization, provide adequate labor support to farmers to help increase agricultural production and promote rice self-sufficiency which will allow our farmers to sustain the needs of their families especially during lean times or tiempos muertos.

To ensure the availability of safe, clean, and potable water, the province will undertake the establishment of bulk water projects that will tap surface water that mostly reaches the sea unutilized.

For the next three years, Lacson said the implementation of the Integrated Provincial Safe Water Program will serve as the banner project for the Environment sector.*

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