IBA, Zambales — Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. outlined his administration’s priority programs during the mass induction of newly-elected provincial and municipal officials here on Tuesday, urging local leaders to join him in creating inclusive growth and capacitating the community for self-reliance.
Ebdane said that health, education, livelihood, housing, and infrastructure will be the priority for the Zambales government in the next three years and stressed the need for purposive change and timely action.
“A fresh start like today will eventually become a journey for all of us, and whether that journey takes us to a better place or bring us no further than where we are now would depend mostly on ourselves, the elected leaders,” Ebdane told the newly-elected officials.
“We have to keep in mind that things won’t get better by chance, but by purposive change that we have to introduce as leaders of our community,” he
added. “Action, rather than talk, should characterize public service.” Ebdane, who is on his fourth term as governor after a brief hiatus in 2016, said he wanted to leave as legacy “a Zambales that could stand on its own—progressive, forward-looking, competitive, capable, empowering, and proud.”
Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and Vice Gov. Jaq Khonghun. Photo by Malou Dungog
To build a self-sustaining community, Ebdane said his administration’s first priority would be a comprehensive health program that would bring about a state-of-the-art hospital with more doctors, nurses, and other health personnel, so that patients won’t have to go far for medical help. He disclosed that a P100-million budget from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. will initially fund Phase 1 of the upgrading project. “In due time, upgrades for the two district hospitals, to include the Ospital ng Sta. Cruz, will be done,” he added.
The second priority for Zambales, Ebdane said, is free education for college students by way of improving the facilities and capacity of the President Ramon Magsaysay State University. The local tertiary school, he said, should offer courses relevant to local needs like tourism, agriculture and fisheries, as well as technology.
Ebdane revealed the provincial government recently provided some P46-million worth of financial assistance to 23,000 college students in the province with funding from the Office of the President and some senators, and additional funds from the provincial treasury.
In terms of livelihood development, the third priority, Ebdane said Zambales should aim for bigger and better equipment, and the latest technical innovations and applications to modernize agriculture. “There has to be a paradigm shift in this generation if we are to survive as a people,” he pointed out.
He added that housing should also be a priority program to provide safe and decent homes for residents, especially the informal settlers. He asked municipal officials to identify and plan for the establishment of resettlement areas for those in need of housing.
Ebdane said that infrastructure development should also be prioritized to further enhance commercial activities, provide access to production sites, enhance revenue generation, and promote supply and market distribution.
Financial performance
At the same time, the governor urged local officials to “march forward together and gear up for greater public service" in partnership with residents. He pointed out that despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Zambales has increased its financial performance from a budget of P1.62 billion in 2019, to P1.9 billion in 2020 and P2.42 billion in 2021, with environment revenue collection steadily growing from P75.2 million in 2019, P118.5 million in 2020, and P201.8 million last year.
Because of the steady financial growth, he said, Zambales was recognized by the Bureau of Local Government Finance as the top performer in Region 3 in 2020 and Number 4 in the national level in 2021 for year-on-year growth in locally sourced revenues.
“Because we have identified additional sources of income, I believe we are on our way to building a self-sustaining community in the future,” he said, also citing P1.22-billion worth of infrastructure projects in the last three years. Ebdane further urged municipal officials to make an inventory of local products and services that could be developed to increase revenue stream and create more jobs for residents.
