CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY/June 15, 2024 — Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy addressed the public, with the City Council in a special session, citing family-centered economic development under his administration’s RISE framework of governance. as the City of Golden Friendship celebrates its 74th Charter Day.
Sound fiscal policy and efforts to bring government basic services to the people are paying off with Cagayan de Oro City earning its first-ever Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) in 2023.
The SGLG according to Mayor Uy defines the sincere and transparent nature of his administration at City Hall.
“Gisugdan nato ang ato’ng panag-uban nga aduna’y hagit sa pagbarog-balik sa ato’ng kahimtang bag-o kita naapektuhan sa pandemya. Ato’ng gihagit ang ato’ng kaugalingon sa pagbarog. We challenged ourselves. We challenged everyone to RISE. (We challenged CDO to RISE, (We started our journey with the challenge of recovering from the effects of the pandemic. We challenged ourselves to stand.), he declared at the Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr. International Convention Center, with officers, employees and key local stakeholders in full regalia.
“Kato ang higayon, nga taliwala sa mga nadawat nga kadungganan sa syudad, ang kamatuoran mitimaw nga huyang and ekonomiya sa daghan nga mga pamilya and nag-ilaid sa kapobrehon (At that time, amid the many awards received by the city government, the truth was that the economy was weak and many families are suffering from abject poverty), Mayor Uy recalled, as the audience reacted with loud applause. His 2nd State of the City Addressed has been streamed live on Facebook and public viewing centers around city.
The accolades the city is getting like its ranking as the second richest city outside Metro Manila in terms of per capita Gross Domestic Product and the 3rd biggest urban economy in the country are not just figures but have started to seep into every family in the city.
Data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) revealed that 3,000 of 15,000 families under 4Ps (Pantawid sa Pamilyang Pilipino Program), have been lifted out of poverty.
Investments are pouring into the city because of the high spending capacity of Kagayanons, at around P28,000 per month. Cagayan de Oro’s average family size is 3.8, while Northern Mindanao’s is 4.2.
As a regional leader and center of the emerging 4th metropolitan city in the country, Cagayan de Oro has the biggest contribution at 28% to the GDP of Northern Mindanao.
“Kini nagpasabot nga sa pagtaas sa kinitaan tungod sa ato’ng ekonomikanhon nga pag-uswag, mas nitaas pud ang magasto sa matag pamilya, (This means that the increased income due to economic progress, the spending capacity per family also increases), Mayor Uy explained.
Bringing the people closer to the people through the Klarex nga Serbisyo sa Barangay (KSB) and Suroy Suroy sa Barangay (SSB) and the People’s Day, increased the people’s confidence in the local government.
Mayor Uy personally to 9,301 persons from July to December 2023; and another 9.053 from January to April 2024.
The 36 KSB in 2023 served 149,587 people served by the KSB; So far, 13,124 people benefited from health services under the SSB program.
SOUND FISCAL STATUS
In 2023, the collection of revenues by the City Finance Department was the highest so far, with P5.6 billion. Tourist arrivals reached 775,024, a 12.72% increase from the previous year.
Big businesses are expanding and new ones are coming. Local supermarkets Ororama and Gaisano are expanding, and keeping UP with bigger competitors like SM, Ayala, and Robinsons. Luxury hotels, condominiums, and shopping stores are starting construction.
In 2023, there were 5,414 new Business Permits out of the 30,962 who registered with the city.
The city’s budget structure is focused on economic programs at 44.36%, followed by social services at 30.44% and general services at 22.3%.
The city government’s Barangay Empowerment Program had approved 78 projects amounting to P256 million to be implemented in 50 barangays.
SOCIAL SERVICES
Good management at city government-owned JR Borja General Hospital has finally resulted in its accreditation as a Level II hospital—the 175-bed hospital for around 150,000 people, with 15,240 admissions, and 100,572 out-patient consultations.
To cope with the huge number of patients, the Out-Patient Department of the JRBGH has been extended to 10 pm. The admission is also struggling with a bed occupancy rate of 215%.
Major upgrades are being undertaken at the JRBGH to serve better poor health seekers.
The JRBGH-Lumbia has started operations, and has already catered to 8,573 OPD Consultations; 43 Newborn deliveries; and 320 admissions. The JRBGH-Tablon is 85% complete.
In 2023, the JRBGH earned P255,800,172. This is funneled back to patients through its zero-billing policy.
The City Health Office is also in phase in the Universal Health Care (UHC) system. It had just completed the preparatory phase of the UHC.
EDUCATION
In the coming school year 2024 to 2025, there will be 15,194 university and technical-vocational institute scholars. In 2023, the city built six school buildings with 48 classrooms. This year, work has started for another six school buildings with 36 classrooms and 2 four-story buildings to house TLE Laboratories.
The City Scholarship Program has expanded to Law and Medicine with 19 scholars taking up Bachelor of Laws; 12 scholars taking up Medicine.
Also in the coming school year, the promise of Mayor Uy to have 10,000 scholars will be fulfilled. This school year, the city has over 8,000 scholars.
EMPLOYMENT
“Ang epekto sa atong pagpatuman sa mga programa sa edukasyon makita nato sa pagtaas sa gidaghanon sa nakakuha ug pulido nga trabaho. Ang mga kapasidad sa atong mga graduates ug mga empleyado, mao’y dugang nag-aghat sa mga bago nga mga tigpamuhunan dinhi sa syudad (Our successful education program can be seen in the increase in employment. The capacity of our graduates and employees attracts new investments in the city), Mayor Uy said.
The city government Public Employment Service Office (PESO) had its hands full with in30 Barangay Employment Assistance Desks. The job placement rate is 90.82%.
In 2023, PESO organized 12 job fairs resulting in the hiring of 14,653 job seekers.
HOUSING
The city government is partnering with the Dept. of Human Settlement and Urban Development in the housing program.
The mayor had led the groundbreaking of two housing projects under the 4PH (Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing) in Pagatpat and San Simon with 3,200 housing units in mid-rise buildings. The Uy administration seeks to substantially address the housing needs of city residents of around 30,000 housing units.
SECURITY
To safeguard economic progress, Mayor Uy underscored security and safety. He lauded the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office for doing its job well and appealed for their untiring vigilance.
The mayor acknowledged COCPO for the 3.5% crime rate reduction in 2023, with the crime solution efficiency of 85.81% and crime clearance efficiency of 97.83%
RISE CDO
To sustain the gains achieved so far in his administration, Mayor Uy rallied, yet again, the people and city hall bureaucracy to unite and work harder.
“We need to provide more services to the people. Service that is fair. Service that favors no one. Service to all, because we believe that government should be within reach by the people. The people should be near the government.
“Through our unity and teamwork, I am hopeful that all Kagayanons can claim equal opportunity: Opportunity to work and livelihood; opportunity to improved well-being; and opportunity to have a bright future.”
The RISE framework of governance stands for Regional leadership, metropolization, and connectivity; Institutional development and participatory governance; Safety, security, and human development; and Economic recovery. (BCY/ CMO Communications Group/CIO)
