BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia reiterated his appeal Friday, October 27, to all city officials to set aside political agenda and personal ambitions and work together for the people of Bacolod.
Leonardia, in his 13th State of the City Address (Soca) delivered at the City Council session hall, said public officials should work for the people first because they are the reason why they are in their positions.
“Let us work for our personal ambitions only when election time comes, and remember that election is still about two years from now. Let us use our time and energy, in the meanwhile, serving our people instead. They want us to work, not to work early politics,” the mayor said.
Improvements
In his one-hour and 20-minute address, Leonardia narrated the city's improvement on fiscal management, public and private infrastructure spending and prospects, public employment services, permits and licensing, livelihood development, tourism health services, civil registry, social services, veterinary services, resettlement and housing, agriculture and fishery, Bacolod City College, City Library, youth and sports, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, solid waste management, traffic, peace and order situation report, anti-illegal drug campaign, human resources.
Leonardia said that when he retook City Hall in 2016, his administration reenergized the engines of government, rebooting them as it were, for them to not just work but to work efficiently and well, and address the needs of the populace and the greater good of Bacolod.
“We have abandoned and effectively repealed the onerous and unconstitutional real property tax (RPT) ordinance, which increased land taxes in an excessive, unreasonable, and unacceptable manner. We reverted back to the old RPT," he added.
The mayor said they have “refocused and cut down the literal waste that bedraggled the solid waste management program that the previous government rendered ineffective and wasteful, thrice over.”
Leonardia said that when his administration assumed office on June 30, 2016, the city was operating with an annual budget of P1.8 billion.
“On record, however, what was left in the General Fund of the Current Accounts to fund the operations of the city was only P39.4 million,” he said.
Higher collections
From June 30 to December 31, 2016, the city’s collections reached P648 million or nine percent higher compared to the same period of the preceding year, the mayor said.
This year, the Leonardia’s administration proposed a budget of P2 billion.
“It is noteworthy to point out that in the first semester, we collected P1.151 billion in revenues, which is already 58 percent of this year’s P2 billion target. Of the said collections, only P705 million was spent for operating expenses which, in effect, resulted to a net increase of P446 million in our available funds," Leonardia said.
He said that since a year go up to June 30, 2017, 103 projects with a total cost of P74.6 million have been completed and 42 projects with a total cost of P66.2 million are still ongoing. The total government spending for the year in review amounted to P140.8 million.
Leonardia also noted the two major infrastructure projects which were in congressional agenda and now are being taken by Representative Greg Gasataya which includes the flyover in the corner of Araneta Street and Magsaysay Avenue and the 21-kilometer Bacolod Economic Highway which will traverse and stimulate many idle and sleepy areas in the city.
Anti-red tape, peace and order
On July 2, 2016, Leonardia issued Executive Order No. 4 creating and designating a Core Team to review the Anti-Red Tape Act (Arta) implementation in the City Government and to revisit the Citizen's Charter.
On peace and order, the mayor said Bacolod City has significantly improved as manifested by the downtrend in the statistical date of crime incidents being recorded by the Bacolod City Police Office investigation unit through its online crime information reporting an analysis system.
From June 30, 2016 to June 30, 2017, Bacolod has a total of only 4,047 crime incidents compared to 5,432 of the same period of the preceding June 30, 2015 to June 30, 2016. There is a decrease of 1,376 crime incidents or 25.37 percent.
Reconstruction, making history
“Like a phoenix, we are waking up from the stupor of three years, shaking off the ashes and ready to take off as we had taken off years ago, before a three-year political imbroglio that was when the previous administration took over and detoured us from the path of development we had been taking. Like a phoenix, we are slowly flapping our wings steadily but surely starting to scale the highest,” Leonardia said.
He added: “We will work together to reclaim those revered positions. Already, we capped our first 12 months back at City Hall with The Manila times, esteemed icon of Philippine journalism and the oldest newspaper in the country at 119 years old, proclaiming us Top Model City of the Philippines, by no means a small feat considering where we began and how we struggled to even begin this reconstruction.”
“Clearly, the story of our first 12 months back is one of rebirth, a rebirth of our dreams and aspirations and our rediscovery that as people united, we can make things happen and, indeed, we can turn our dreams into reality,” he said.
The mayor added that as Bacolod accelerated its growth and development, the needs and demands of the people as well as the challenges of a more enlightened and sophisticated population that come into play, the city needs to close ranks.
Leonardia also expressed his deepest gratitude and admiration to the support and cooperation of Gasataya, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, the City Council, department heads and city employees.
“We made history when we retook City Hall. As we rebuild and invigorate our city to bring it to greater heights, we shall continue writing history. Knowing I have your support, I intend to lead you in writing our history. But let us write our history together, yes, in unity as a team, as one community, and as one big happy family. Let us, therefore, go to the promised land together,” the mayor said.
The City Council also unanimously approved a resolution expressing the City Council’s appreciation and support to the programs, projects and plans of Leonardia as he mentioned in his Soca.
Also present Friday were village officials, officials and representatives from government and private sectors, department heads and former city mayors Luzviminda Valdez, Rolando Villamor, and Alfredo Jalbuena.