ONE interesting item is the promise of a candidate for senator to help the marginalized citizens in our country with the establishment of more Malasakit Centers.
These centers are the government's one-stop shop where poor citizens can get help on how to avail of assistance from agencies like the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Through these centers the poor can get financial help to lower hospital bills or at times it may be free.
Another of the candidate's plan is to repeal the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act as suggested by President Rodrigo R. Duterte. We have a hard time fighting crime because those below 15 years old are exempted from arrest. Imagine some of them are couriers for drug distribution to users while others are into petty crimes or sniffing solvents. When caught, they are brought to the DSWD for discipline and rehabilitation.
The dream of the Malasakit Centers is to establish centers all over the country because some poor citizens die without having seen doctors or hospitals because they have no money to pay the charges.
On the public works government programs, city officials of Koronadal City expect the opening of more growth zones in the coming years with the operations of its P150 million Integrated Transport Terminal Complex.
Its operation is a dynamic process. It is fully functional with 97% of the buildings and related structures already completed. The constructon of the terminal is among the biggest and most modern in Mindanao that started in December 2015 through a loan from the Land Bank. It adopted the "green" concept in terms of architecture and facilities, specially the use of natural ventilation, skylight lighting, and energy efficient LED lights.
The facility would provide adequate green open spaces and the design would ensure the preservation of the land's existing water bodies and panorama. The usual residential and business districts will stay. Recreational parks and entertainment facilities stay. Schools and other public service facilities are here also.
Zoning properly is a must to ease the movements of the citizens living here. Peace and order must be maintained in using all the facilities.