Mayor Dante D. Torres declared this in last Friday’s media forum “Balitaan,” organized by the Capampangan in Media, Inc. (CAMI) in cooperation with the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) and the Social Security System (SSS) at the Bale-Balita here, even as he disclosed his intention of seeking a second term in the 2016 elections.
Torres said his administration has focused on the job of laying down the necessary infrastructures to bolster the town’s quest for cityhood even before 2021.
Torres said he has focused the last two years of his incumbency on the task of modernizing the town’s system of administration, particularly in the area of revenue generation and judicious resource management.
The efforts have paid off, he said, as evidenced by the awards received last year by the town: the Seal of Good Housekeeping given to local government units by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the title “2nd Most Competitive Municipality” from the National Competitive Council (NCC), which annually evaluates the performance of LGUs in attracting capital and pursuing infrastructure programs.
Guagua’s government has also been recognized by the Department of Health (DOH) for its aggressive health-oriented campaigns distribution of free medicines to indigents, human vaccination and the eradication of rabies.
Torres added that his administration has also managed to pursue two major infrastructure projects in the newly completed town plaza and the P28 million multi-storey public market now under construction despite limited resources.
Torres also disclosed that funding for the said projects were sourced from the coffers of the provincial and national government.
He said the town’s annual income averages P140 million, consisting of internal revenue allocation (IRA), real property tax (RPT) and collection of business fees, an amount that needed to be bolstered soon for the town to achieve its development targets in the next six years.
Guagua has likewise embarked on an initiative to push for the development of its agricultural sector with the development of modern, organic farms for rice vegetable and other cash crops in partnership with Philrice. It has also taken steps of creating a “dairy corridor” in the town in a bid to bolster farm income.
Guitars
Torres said famous musician and entrepreneur Ramon “RJ” Jacinto has his popular guitars made from a factory in the town’s Barangay San Antonio which is home to famous guitar makers like the Lumanog family of Lumanog Guitars.
When asked on his chances in next year’s elections, Torres expressed confidence of getting re-elected based on his performance as town executive. His expected closest rival is Vice Mayor Anthony Twaño.
Guagua belongs to nthe Second District of Pampanga, along with the towns in the southwestern part of the province, with a population of roughly 200,000. It is about 9.5 kilometers from the capital city of San Fernando and 77 kilometers north of Metro Manila.
