IBA, Zambales – “Today marks the unfolding of a new chapter, one that builds upon fifteen years of legacy with a simple yet bold vision: a Zambales, that truly works for every Zambaleño.”
Thus, Gov. Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr., opened his State of the Province Address (SOPA) delivered at the Legislative Building here on Jan. 19.
“Today, Zambales stands tall-economically, socially, and culturally. Our province has regained and sustained its First-Class Province status, fueled by strengthened fiscal discipline and revitalized revenue generation; hence, advances the quality of life and opportunities for every Zambaleño,” he said, going into specifics on health and social services, ongoing infrastructure projects, livelihood and tourism, and youth and sports development.
For health services, the provincial government continuously upgraded provincial and district hospitals investing in medical equipment, and in partnership with health-related agencies such PhilHealth, have expanded enrollment, improved claims process, and reduced out-of-pocket expenses for Zambalenos.
In terms of social development, the province developed programs for child welfare, crisis intervention, family support and senior citizen care. Through “Hatid Serbisyo”, we brought social services directly to the doorsteps of our people, Ebdane said.
For livelihood and tourism, Ebdane said, the province is continuously developing various programs and projects to support the livelihood of our fisherfolks and farmers in the province.
“We established economic engines such as the Zambales Mango Industry Council to assist our mango growers, and the Zambales Maritime Development Council to assist the fishery sector,” he added.
“As the backbone of Zambales, we continue to support our farmers through the provision of equipment, seeds, and fertilizer, while enabling our fisherfolk with fishing boats and gears, fish landing sites, and the institutionalization of their associations into cooperatives,” Ebdane said.
In terms of infrastructure projects, the provincial government embarked on the construction of a new Capitol Building, Capitol Multi-Purpose Building, Zambales Sports Complex Track and Football Stadium and President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital Annex.
Ebdane reiterated its commitment to youth and sports development through the expanded “Handog Edukasyon” program where thousands of students received education assistance and financial support.”
“In sports, we are conquering new heights, our athletes now bring pride to our province from CLRAA to Palarong Pambansa to SEA Games.” he said.
“As we prepare our bid for the 2027 Palarong Pambansa, we are confident that Zambales is ready – we will have the facilities, the discipline, and the heart to host this prestigious event,” Ebdane averred.
To prove that Zambales is ready to host international and national events, he cited the success of the recently concluded 33rd Asia-Pacific Regional Scouts Jamboree held at Camp Kainomayan in Botolan, welcoming around 25,000 scouts and leaders from several countries.
“But the years ahead will even be more challenging. We must be ready to face climate risks, infrastructure gaps, health system pressures, and the realities of poverty in vulnerable communities,” Ebdane concluded.
