CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — Mayor Rolando Uy stated that under the Regionalization and Metropolization, Institutional Development, Security and Safety, Economic Recovery, and Sustainability (RISE) Development Framework, the economic and environmental development of every family is the focus of all programs and projects.
During the city’s 74th Charter Day celebration and his 2nd State of the City Address (SOCA) on June 15, Uy said that while the city celebrates the recognitions and awards received, the local government still needs to address the weak economic situation of poor families in the city due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This, he stressed, was what he anchored his administration’s priority programs, projects, and services on.
“Dili lang ang hamugaway nga pamuyo ang angay kab-uton apan ang kasigurohan sa kaugmaon sa matag pamilya sa kapasidad nga makapahimulos sa mga batakang serbisyo sa gobyerno ug sa kaarangan nga makabayad sa mga serbisyo gikan sa mga pribado nga mga komersyo,” the mayor said.
(It’s not just about achieving a prosperous lifestyle; we also need to secure each family’s future by ensuring they have simple access to basic government services and the financial means to pay for services from private commercial establishments.)
He said that each family’s economic development may bring forth certainty, which would eventually result in the whole city‘s development.
Uy also emphasized the importance of each Kagay-anon family’s confidence in emergency response. CDO‘s local government is currently constructing a new disaster coordination center in Barangay Carmen, with completion anticipated in a few months.
“Sa dili madugay, masugdan na sa City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (CDRRMD) ang next-generation 911 nga gamit na ang bag-o nga teknolohiya aron mas epektibo ug pulido ang atong pag-atubang sa mga katalagman,” Uy said.
(Soon, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department will start its next-generation 911 and use new technologies for a more effective and polished disaster response.)
Together by numbers
“We are all committed to the constitutional provision that says that public office is a public trust where we must serve our people with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, always acting with patriotism and justice. Today, let us celebrate our Charter Day with pride and renewed commitment to accountability, responsibility, and integrity,” said CDO Vice Mayor Jocelyn Rodriguez.
Uy also emphasized the unity and commitment of the local government in delivering basic services, programs, and projects for the people of CDO and their families.
According to a Philippine Statistics Authority study, the city is the second richest city outside of Metro Manila, but the mayor recognizes that much work remains to achieve full economic recovery.
In 2023, the city generated local revenue by issuing 30,962 business permits, of which 5,414 were for new businesses. This translated into P5.6 billion in business tax collections.
The city’s Barangay Empowerment Program provided P256 million for 50 barangays for 78 projects.
Uy’s “People’s Day” program has served 9,301 people from July to December 2023 and 9,063 people from January to April 2024.
In addition to requests for assistance in resolving issues related to housing, water, traffic violations, burial assistance, and other regulatory compliance issues, the local government’s program also accommodated requests for financial assistance.
In 2023, the “Klarex nga Serbisyo sa Barrio,” another flagship program of the mayor, served 149,587 people on 36 occasions, while the “Suroy-Suroy sa Barrio Program” provided health services to 13,124 people.
In education, there are 15,194 scholars currently enrolled in universities and technical-vocational institutes for the school year 2024-2025. Twelve of these scholars are studying medicine, and 19 are pursuing a Bachelor of Laws degree.
In terms of health, Uy acknowledged the management of the government-owned JR Borja General Hospital (JRBGH), which finally achieved Level II hospital accreditation after remaining at Level I for the last nine years.
Currently, JRBGH has a 175-bed capacity, 5 units of type B ambulances, a Level 3 classification of JRBGH laboratory, a Level 3 radiology facility with x-ray, CT scan, ultrasound, 2D echo, and mammogram machines, and 27 fully operational hemodialysis machines. With the influx of clients seeking medical attention, JRBGH has extended the out-patient department’s operation hours to 10:00 p.m.
Social services include providing assistance to an estimated 15,000 families in crisis, serving 6,000 senior citizens through the Senior Citizen’s program, serving 3,000 persons with disabilities, providing assistance to 5,000 solo parents, offering the Early Child Care and Development (ECCD) program to 10,000 children, and opening 6 new ECCD centers.
Uy also reported that there were 775,024 tourist arrivals in 2023, 12.72 percent more than in 2022.
The mayor also acknowledged the police force’s efforts, which resulted in a 3.5 percent decrease in crime rate in 2023, 85.81 percent crime solution efficiency, and 97.83 percent crime clearance efficiency.
Among those in attendance were Dr. Hobart P. Savior, Director of the Xavier Center for Culture and the Arts, as well as other artists and cultural workers representing the Kagay-an Misamis Creative Council (KaMi Creative).
Savior lauded the mayor for a very comprehensive report on the city’s achievements for 2023 and 2024. “I believe he has outlined all of the city‘s progress and has actually engaged, initiated, and participated by multiple stakeholders; it’s not going to be just his glory alone,” said Savior.
According to Uy, he is always open to discussions with stakeholders and regional officials about the metropolitization of the city and its neighboring towns. (SAYU/PIA-10)
