SANTA CRUZ, Laguna (PIA) – The newly-elected Laguna governor Sol Aragones has laid out a clear vision for the province under her administration, focusing on three key pillars: health, education, and tourism.
In her first media interview after proclamation of winners on May 13, Aragones emphasized her commitment to inclusive growth and sustainable development aimed at uplifting the lives of every Lagunense.
“So we plan to start immediately when we take office to build thirty (30) Akay ni Sol pharmacies in every city and municipalities in the province with free maintenance of medicines, we will also renovate public hospitals, helping patients and hospital employees”, Aragones said.
As part of her health program, Aragones is set to expand the implementation of free health cards and development of the province’s district hospitals.
She then reminded government employees, particularly those in public hospitals, that unprofessional behavior against the public will not be tolerated.
In the education sector, the governor-elect aims to break barriers that prevent the youth from accessing quality learning.
She announced plans to implement inclusive scholarship programs, particularly for underprivileged students — even those who may not meet high academic benchmarks.
“We will follow the principle of Sol’s scholars — even if the grades are low, we will help. We will support our youth with only minimal requirements needed,” Aragones stated.
Recognizing Laguna’s potential as a premier tourist destination and its status as the Philippines’ first province with a trillion peso economy, Aragones announced her plans to personally lead the promotion of local tourism.
She emphasized that tourism development will not rely solely on natural attractions, but also on storytelling and community identity.
“We will create a master plan because we know that the 24 municipalities and 6 cities of Laguna are full of stories, the entire province is full of stories. But the question is, do these stories are known by those who are not from Laguna or those from other countries? Maybe we need to fix this. I myself will promote the tourism of the province of Laguna so that people can find a living because when tourism is prosperous, people have a job, people have money,” she said.
Aragones initially sought the governorship in 2022 following her 9-year congressional tenure but lost to then incumbent governor Ramil Hernandez.
She re-entered the political arena with renewed commitment under the banner of the Akay ni Sol Partylist. Her campaign emphasized inclusive public service, with a platform centered on healthcare enhancement, educational support, and expanded access to essential social services for Lagunenses.
Aragones emerged victorious against three major contenders in the province’s top post. Among them are Laguna 2nd District Representative Ruth Mariano-Hernandez, wife of outgoing governor Hernandez; outgoing Vice Governor Karen Agapay; and Santa Rosa Lone District Representative Dan Fernandez.
Meanwhile, lawyer JM Carait bags the vice gubernatorial post in the province with 624,861 votes who ran alongside Representative Mariano-Hernandez.
The province of Laguna is among the so-called vote-rich provinces in the Philippines, with around 2.1 million registered voters recorded in this election. (AM/PIA 4A)
