STATE OF THE MUNICIPALITY ADDRESS
In the spirit of transparency and accountability as mandated by the Local Government Code, I come to you again to render my report of accomplishments for part of the year 2009 and the whole year of 2010. This period had been exciting days for us mainly because the foreign funded projects, together with nationally funded projects that we proposed, were finally given the light of day and we were implementing them as a result, as well as our own projects, programs and activities funded from our municipal treasury. But before I start, please bear in mind that we are basically an agricultural community without big business establishments, and that we have established a policy of no mining activities in the mountains of the Lasicam area with respect to the mineral deposits in this area because mining would damage our Daywan river that supplies water to our irrigation system.
Hence, we are focusing on agriculture, tourism and livelihood programs which would complement each other into one harmonious relationship geared towards a sustainable development. This means that our programs on agriculture, tourism and livelihood have something in common that touch one another to enable such programs to answer the needs of each of these sectors.
We have support programs for these three principal targets on the environment, on solid waste management, on education on health and sanitation, on social services, on infrastructures, on special programs, on local governance, the youth and peace and order.
Having said this by way of explaining our choice of programs and activities to pursue, I now go to my report proper.
ENVIRONMENT
The activities on environment complement livelihood and agriculture programs and, in a direct manner, contribute to the development of the tourism potentials in our municipality.
We were able to access funds from the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) on the Natural Resource Management (NRM) component administered by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in the amount of P7M with our counterpart of P700,000.00. We have been implementing this program since the late part of 2009 and 2010 and this year we are finishing some of the other activities, which include, the following:
1) The Cagban island fish sanctuary with an area of 66 hectares and funding allocation of P1,236,000.00, which is now completed.
2) The river bank stabilization project which targets the Daywan river bank along barangays Camam-onan, Sico-sico, Lahi, San Isidro and Villaflor which is on-going with funding of P1,780,331.00.
3) The agro forestry project also is on-going with a project cost of P2,688,865.
4) The mangrove rehabilitation project with a target area of 40 hectares and a funding allocation of P1,294,304.00, which is on-going.
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
We have established a ten-year Ecological Solid Waste Management Plan and submitted it for review to the Environmental Management Bureau. The Sangguniang Bayan has enacted an ordinance on the implementation of this Ecological Solid Waste Management Plan and we are implementing this year this ordinance. We have conducted information and education campaign on the program in all the barangays in the late part of 2009 and on to last year 2010. We bought a parcel of land for the establishment of a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) which we are maintaining and operating up to the present.
All of these projects on environment and solid waste management have given the opportunity to the beneficiary-implementors to earn for the labor needed in the various aspects of implementation. We also hope to tie-up the organic fertilizer farming program under agriculture, with our Ecological Solid Waste Management Plan.
LIVELIHOOD AND AGRICULTURE
We were able to avail of the Community Fund for Agricultural Development (CFAD) component of the MRDP, which targets poverty alleviation. This program focuses on livelihood projects involving a funding of P2M from MRDP and a municipal counterpart of P500,000.00. This program included:
1) The flat-bed mechanical dryer with funding of P500,000.00 of the Self-Help Rice and Coconut Farmers Association of Poniente which is now completed and is earning an income for the association. 2) The Barangay Alambique Fisher- folks Association (BAFA) has a mudcrab and bangus poly- culture project with funding of P200,000.00 and this project is now completed and giving returns to the association. 3) Meanwhile, the Villaflor Organic Fertilizer Producers Association has a 75% completed vegetable production project using vermi cast with a funding of P250,000.00. 4) The Tiltilan Banana Producers Association was allocated P180,000.00 for its banana production project which is half way completed now. 5) The Anibongan Fisherfolks Association was allocated P150,000.00 for its crab gill net project which is now 80% completed.
6) Pre and post-harvest facilities were allocated to the Mahanub Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative for its solar dryer with mini-warehouse project in the amount of P500,000.00 which is now completed. 7) The Alambique-Hinambuyan Agra Multi-Purpose Cooperative (AHIAMUPCO) had a mechanical power tiller and rice thresher project funded with P180,000.00 which is now completed. 8) Meanwhile, to give access to the farm products of its members, the Purok Malipayon Farmers Association of San Isidro was also allocated P490,000.00 for the construction of its footbridge which is now completed.
From another funding source, the Bayasugao Farmers Association had been allocated the sum of P140,000.00 for its multi-purpose dryer pavement (MPDP) project which is now completed.
From the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) we were able to avail of its Integrated Services for Livelihood Advancement (ISLA) project and we procured and distributed assorted fishing gears, 27 heads of piglets, assorted goods for sari-sari store, equipment for ice cream making. We constructed two units of motorized banca and three units of non-motorized banca for the fisher folk groups valued at P680,750.00. In the field of agricultural production we procured and distributed 516 bags of certified seeds worth P309,600.00. We got another bunch of high-breed seedlings worth P171,500.00, water melon worth P25,000.00 and 2,500 bags of vegetable seeds for the 675 farmer-beneficiaries. We gave out agricultural loans of P365,000.00 to 141 farmers. We went into dispersal and redispersal of livestocks, such as goats enhanced native chicken , cattle and swine to 92 farmer-beneficiaries. We conducted seminars on rice production to 90 farmers, swine production to 45 farmers; banana and vegetable production to 36 farmers. We also constructed a municipal nursery with funding of P250,000.00 and procured and distributed 450 grafted mangos, 2,113 assorted forest trees, 427 assorted fruit trees, 643 vegetable seedlings, 380 flowering plants to 150 farmer-beneficiaries. We also distributed to 105 farmers foliar fertilizer such as vitagro, nitroflix and zinc phospate.
TOURISM
We hope to develop our potential tourist spots as destination stop for tourists going to the tourism destinations of Siargao and Bucas Grande Island as well as making our town a tourist destination itself. Towards this end we have finished the assessment of the cavernous Cuyapnit cave and completed the construction of a ladder used in ascending it from the ground. Waiting shed is being constructed on the ground to serve as rest area for cavers and those who may enter the cave out of the sum of P240,000.00 the Department of Tourism had allocated for this project. We have completed the feasibility study and program of work for the Baoy Spring Development project which will involve the conversion of spring water below the Baoy irrigation dam into a swimming pool.. This project is envisioned to be a recreation area in the future for tourists who wish to go caving inside the Cuyapnit cave and those who wish to go boating/canoeing and cliff climbing at the lagoon-like area upstream the Baoy irrigation dam.
As already stated we have the Cagban fish sanctuary and the Nagubat marine protected area which contain some good diving areas for adventurous tourists who love to go scuba diving and to loll about the granite sandy beaches of Anibongan and the Doot sand bar in front of the poblacion. We have started to draft the project proposal for these tourism-related projects.
EDUCATION
We held a first ever of its kind dialogue in the school district of Gigaquit among local government officials, both in the municipal and barangay levels, the school administrators and Parent Teacher Community Association presidents in every school of the district. We threshed out the problems, issues and concerns of all the schools in the Gigaquit District, with special attention to the issue of how to achieve zero drop-out in the entire district. In effect, we started to work on Project BEST or Barangay Education Strategic Team, one of the principal programs of the Education Road Map of the Province.
Upon our request Cong. Guillermo A. Romarate, Jr. has filed a bill in Congress to nationalize the high school serving the Lasicam barangays in the expectation of providing quality secondary education to the youth of that area. Governor Sol F. Matugas is prioritizing in her USAID-assisted road program the construction of a road to the Lasicam area again with the expectation of increasing the government’s capability to dcliver basic education services there.
We continued to give financial assistance to schools in terms of projects and activities and the construction-repair of school buildings and other school facilities.
HEALTH AND SANITATION
The Municipal Health Office was able to render to its clientele the delivery of primary care health services to the community. The expanded program on monthly immunization of 0-12 month infants which targeted 539 infants was able to serve actually 491 infants. Some 1,426 individuals were served under the control of acute respiratory track infection program. On Operation Timbang Program provision of municipal vital and monitoring of weight, 4,785 individuals were given assistance. On the National Tuberculosis Program 243 individuals were served. We point out with pride that we are the only municipality which has a TB-DOTS program with annual appropriation of P300,000.00. On the Family Planning Program 1,254 individuals were served on maternal and child health care program, 780 individuals were given pre-natal and post-natal care, free CBC, urinalysis and hepa tests. On the filariasis control program 17,945 individuals were served. We have added to the personnel complement of the MHO a licensed Medical Technologist and one midwife. We improved our birthing facility and have provided ambulance service for emergency cases. A birthing clinic worth P1.6M was availed to us by the provincial government thru Gov. Sol F. Matugas last year and is now being bidded for construction. We hosted the Panambay sa Barangay of Gov. Sol F. Matugas and the provincial government. We conducted also several blood-letting activities with blood bank of the Caraga Regional Hospital.
SOCIAL SERVICES
These are purely social work services not included in the realm of health education and other allied social programs.
The Municipal Social Services Office gave pre-marriage counseling to 114 couples, conducted 22 Day Care Workers training and constructed three Day Care Centers in sitio Tagpajao, Lahi, sitio Tomorok, Camam-onan and sitio Baoy, San Isidro. A total of 710 children were enrolled in the various Day Care Centers. Counseling services were given to 17 persons. During the celebration of Children’s Month children enjoyed various activities outlined for the event.
Women’s groups were organized in thirteen barangays and federated into the municipal level to render different services for the development of their respective barangays and for the welfare of the women’s groups in the municipality. Women’s month was celebrated with various activities last March. Twelve cases of violence against women were recorded and given intervention thru counseling, referral to clinic/hospital for medico legal assistance and referral and filing of cases. Two cases were filed actually in court.
Persons with disability and the elderly were given proper attention. For the first time in our history five persons with disability attended a Christmas party hosted by Gov. Sol F. Matugas where they were given gifts and prizes. This greatly elated the five individuals and raised their spirits in the realization that they were being given attention on this special day.
Four hundred forty four (444) elders were registered in the Senior Citizens Association and given ID cards and purchase booklets to enable them to avail of the privileges and benefits of senior citizens. Elderly Day was celebrated with various activities. All of the activities for children, women, persons with disability and senior citizen were funded with LGU funds for P103,000.00. Emergency assistance given to individuals in crisis situations, such as medicine, hospitalization, crisis situation and transportation problems, amounted to P273,000.
In the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) a total of P1,435 households benefitted and received P12,632,800.00 in 2009 – 2010 which greatly helped the children of beneficiary-households in terms of health and education..
The Self-Employment Program benefitted two (2) people’s organizations to the tune of P115,000.00 for each of the PO.
INFRASTRUCTURE
We concreted last year the last of the unpaved street in the poblacion, namely, San Agustin St. with P1,050,000 LGU fund.
I am happy to report that all major municipal streets are now concreted and we will look into concreting the extensions of some of these streets this year. Street canals construction and concrete linings were undertaken.
We constructed a municipal nursery in the amount of P250,000.00 and paved with tiles part of the municipal hall in the amount of P80,000.00.
Under the Growth with Equity for Mindanao (GEM) program of USAID, we constructed the Mahanub Trading Center and the Dayason box culvert with our counterpart in the sum of P800,000.00.
We renovated the Children’s Playground in the amount of P100,000.00 and multi-purpose rest rooms in the amount of P60,000.00.
We constructed farm-to-market-roads in San Antonio and Mahanub with funds from the Department of Agriculture in the sum of P6M. The San Antonio farm-to-market-road surface graveling after the earth moving work is still on-going. The San Isidro (Purok Malipayon)-Villaflor farm-to-market road with funding of P1.5M is on-going while the Mahanub-Camam-onan road with funding of P2.9M is 95% complete. The construction of beach cottages worth P50,000.00 is now completed.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
We are continuing with MRDP projects and last year we received another P2M for our CFAD projects with our counterpart in the amount of P500,000.00. The CFAD projects are to be implemented this year as soon as the weather permits.
Last year also we were chosen the only municipality in our province for the Kapitbisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program of the DSWD and had been allocated P6.5M. We provided a counterpart fund of P1.9M. We started the process of implementing this project by doing a series of orientations, seminars, and barangay assemblies last quarter of last year which will end this month. By next month we will be constructing the identified projects under this program. We also finished the water drilling activity last December for the water supply program with funding from the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) in the sum of P905,000.00. I am happy to report that the water drilling was successful and that we have a good potable water supply in the area behind the San Isidro Elementary School campus. We are now awaiting funding from the LWUA or the DOH which has a budget for water supply for the construction of reservoir of the laying of pipes and other accessories of the waterworks system.
Every town is mandated to have a long-term Comprehensive Development Plan which is the basis for implementation of the short-term Annual Investment Plan and Mid-Term Development Annual Investment Plan. We finished formulating in the middle of last year our Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) with the technical assistance of the DILG and the funding assistance of the Spanish government. Before the CDP was formulated, we completed first our Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS) project with the assistance of the Spanish government also.
But even if we have just finished formulating our CDP, a planning shift had been required for local governments to undertake in the Land Use Plan in order to incorporate Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Climate Change Adaptation. Hence, last year we were chosen to be one of the pilot areas for the establishment of a Comprehensive Land Use Plan which integrates Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Climate Change Adaptation. We had orientations and seminars on this program and we organized working committees which are now working on the formulation of this plan.
LOCAL GOVERNANCE
In the field of revenue generation, our local income increased by 24% from P2,398,474.46 in 2009 to P2,976,497.65 last year. Real property tax declarations increased by 166 units last year with an increase of assessed value from P91,392,045.00 previously to P139,074,360.00.
Our tax collection efficiency is fair and it is in this field that we are building up our efforts. So we conducted public auction of real properties whose taxes were delinquent. We are going into revision of real property tax declarations this year.
Our local budget did not show any deficit in any of the general, 20% development, reserve and trust funds. The local finance committee monitored closely expenditure to prevent undue stress on our finances. We were able to give bonus to all employees, including casuals and job orders.
In the aspect of technical work we purchased equipments, such as computers, laptops, GPS and others. We trained our personnel on the use of these high-tech equipments.
We focused on capability building by completing our Comprehensive Development Plan and our Community-Based Monitoring System and by means of conducting and attending workshops on the technical and financial aspects of project proposals, preparation, implementation and monitoring.
We also formulated our Executive-Legislative Agenda and our Annual Investment Plan. We assisted the barangays to finalize their Barangay Development Plan so that they can avail of funding assistance.
The local special bodies were reconstituted due to the change of members engendered by the local and barangay elections, such as the Municipal Peace and Order Council, the Municipal Health Board, the Municipal School Board and Municipal Development Council.
Retraining of Barangay Health Workers was conducted preparatory to their accreditation pursuant to the requirements of the Magna Carta on Barangay Health Workers. New and additional Day Care workers were hired due to the opening of two new Day Care Centers.
Last, but not the least, we took care of the spiritual life of the local employees by holding a monthly mass at the municipal hall premises.
YOUTH
The municipality allocated P150,000 as its counterpart fund to the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES). Many students were able to avail of the program in the summer of 2010.
The Sangguniang Kabataan sponsored several sports activities funded from the allocation of P100,000.00 for various sports activities. Likewise, the school based sports activities of the DepEd received funding from the Special Education Fund. The youth, through the SK, conducted anti-smoking campaign and HIV awareness and Operation Linis
Financial assistance was made available to the school-based youth program of the DepEd specially in the various academic competitions and campus journalism.
PEACE AND ORDER
Only fifteen (15) incidents involving criminal violations occurred last year.
Two of the incidents were crimes against chastity, one incident of violence against women, three incidents of crime against person, one incident of crime against property, six incidents of illegal fishing and illegal logging and two incidents of apprehension of wanted persons.
The police assisted in holding free, clean and orderly elections last May 2010, conducted information campaign and donated blood to the town’s blood bank. They also went into community activities such as information campaign on crimes and participating in the planting activity.
By and large, last year was a relatively peaceful year. Except for occasional sightings of armed elements ¬¬¬believed to be NPA’s, no armed encounters took place between the military and the insurgents.
DONATIONS/ASSISTANCE
A total financial assistance and donation to barangay of P766,792.00 for various purposes include cash and materials for projects of barangays, schools, and puroks. The three barangays, Camam-onan, San Isidro and Poniente received aid of P189,444.25, P162,027,60 and P111,906.00, respectively. Barangay Ipil received P79,793.00, and the rest of the barangays received less than P50,000.00 each.
Other assistance for supplies and materials given to various barangays and put together in the same disbursements vouchers amounted to P200,672.50. All together, the sum of P967,465.35 were given to the barangays. The Liga ng mga Barangay received directly cash assistance of P20,000.00 while Gigaquit National School of Home Industries received P25,000.00, Gigaquit Central Elementary School received for its Science Fair the sum of P10,000.00, aside from the monthly electric bill of this school at an average of P1,000.00. On Level I water supply, we gave out Jetmatic pumps to various residents, puroks and barangays. Also P 121,000.00 worth of electric wires were given to residents as assistance
Today, as I end my report, let me reiterate the direction that we have been pursuing more than three years ago at the start of my administration that our goal is to establish an agricultural and environmentally friendly community anchored on an agricultural economy and a tourism-based industry. To be able to do this first and foremost we shall restore the utility and productivity of our lands and our marine resources, thus the call for us to work together on a common effort – “Buhion an Gigaquit”.
I ask the Honorable Sangguniang Bayan, the Barangay Councils, the Sangguniang Kabataan, my co-workers in the local government unit, the national and provincial employees in our town, the civil society and all those who fervently sing “Gigaquit lungsod namong kinaganahan”, to continue to give your support to our common endeavor for peace, progress and prosperity for our town.
I am grateful to you all for your very generous support. Even in our differences – be it personal, political, cultural or ethnic – you have been with me. Let us unite, for otherwise divided we fall. In our hands rest the fate of our town.
God bless us all.
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