By Anthony A. Araos
(Note: This piece was turned in last week but was not published due to space constraints.– Ed)
LAGAWE, Ifugao – – A state-of-the-province address (SOPA) like no other.
Ifugao Gov. Pedro Mayam-o is set to outline his eight-point agenda of governance through the much-awaited SOPA on Aug. 10. Venue is the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session hall at the provincial capitol building in Lagawe.
Many are expecting for the highest official of this upland Cordillera province to spell out timely and relevant programs and policies of his administration. All these actions and interventions largely influence the people- the way they live their daily lives.
The involvement of the entire citizenry, including those in the public sector and civil society organizations as well as marginalized sectors, will continue to be critical in further strengthening the Mayam-o administration’s overall development goals.
With the strong support of the electorate in the May 9 polls and as the province is clearly embarking on a phase of heightened growth, with the Mayam-o administration aiming at achieving a people-oriented, people-centered society, the governor vowed to translate the people’s energies and Ifugao’s resources into productive tools, thus, all positive collective efforts gravitate towards growth.
Aug.10 shall be a great opportunity for Ifugao to mark another milestone as it ushers a new chapter of its history when Gov. Mayam-o chronicles his blueprint to uplift the conditions in this poverty-stricken province.
Gov. Mayam-o, also a lawyer, will speak on his insights on propelling growth and development through an eight-point agenda geared on the promotion of health, agriculture, peace and order, infrastructure, tourism, social services, environmental protection and solid waste management and education.
“Surely, the development of Ifugao is through the hard work and dedication to duty of all public servants and cooperation and support of all the people uniting into a common objective of making the province attain its potentials and aspirations,” Gov. Mayam-o stressed.
In an exclusive interview with the ZigZag Weekly, the articulate and highly-respected governor who hails from Hingyon town, noted the need to exert more in pushing for interventions to address longstanding problems in the province.
“We need to promptly address these problems. We should begin our collective action now. Therefore, we must work together to ensure a better future for our people,” he quipped.
Several problems impeded the progress of Ifugao in the past three years and even long before that period. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, poverty incidence rate in the province tallied at 40.5 percent in 2015. Yet, Ifugao is rich in natural resources.
The provincial government should endeavor to equitably distribute wealth as a means of narrowing the wide gap between the rich and the poor.
It is essential to address the mounting joblessness problem in Ifugao’s 11 towns. Better outputs in agriculture, tourism and other industries are so much desired. Infrastructure investments are hardly visible.
The provincial government, also beefed up by the powerful and influential 11-man Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial council), must create structures and systems to adequately deliver services like health and education, as well as distribute the burdens relative to the capacity of the people to contribute.
Without a doubt, the provincial government should veer away from unsound, impractical and outdated programs and policies of the past. To speed up Ifugao’s growth prospects is not an impossible task. Just and effective governance serves the common good. That is what the government is necessarily and absolutely called to do.
Gov. Mayam-o has vast experience in the public sector having served the province as vice governor for two terms and board member.
Mayam-o also raised the advocacies of the elderly, women, farmers, youth, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, teachers and vulnerable sectors.
His unflinching commitment to stand up for the well-being of the poor and aggressive stance to ensure the judicious utilization of public funds, have contributed immensely to lessening the people’s difficulties.
Gov. Mayam-o also underlines that the government is seeking all the backing of local government units.
In this regard, the Office of the Governor will establish strong linkages with the 175 barangay councils and soon-to-be revitalized Sangguniang Kabataan (youth councils) in the province to ensure that any actions taken by the provincial government are within the bounds of the law and, more importantly, responsive to the people’s needs. As it is, the executive branch of the government in this part of the country, is bound by the guidelines provided for by law.
Vice Governor Jose Jordan Gullitiw, provincial board members, mayors, department heads, national line agency officers and representatives of the private sector are expected to attend this all-important program.
With the increased interest of the people brought forth by the recent State-of-the-Nation-Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte, Provincial Administrator Albert Pawingi sought the assistance of key figures and personnel at the provincial capitol to assist in the SOPA program preparations. Pawingi is a lawyer and like Gov. Mayam-o is one of Ifugao’s most-revered governors. In such capacity, Atty. Pawingi served Ifugao with great distinction.
On the other hand, the SOPA of the governor- who is often described as the “Little President” of a province, serves as a forum for the province’s chief executive to express his views and initiatives on issues affecting his constituents during his tenure. A governor serves a term of three years. There are 81 provinces in the Philippines.
Catching up with its neighboring province in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Nueva Vizcaya in the Cagayan Valley Region is a major challenge for Ifugao. For high poverty incidence to remain unchanged in the next 34 months, the costs are extremely unimaginable. Gov. Mayam-o is the best argument for having a hardworking, intelligent and caring leader at the helm of the provincial government.**
