TODAY THE once lowly municipality with an income of only P33 million in 1995 is now a vibrant community with P727 million this year. This is projected to reach P777 million by 2015.
And now, by the grace of God and by the sovereign will of the people, it is now a city… …We have strengthened health care where a total of 10,140 patients have been treated of various illnesses at out health centers…
We also established three birthing stations where there have been 5,541 deliveries since they started operations…They also offer medical and pediatric care, out-patient care, minor surgery, newborn screening/hearing screening tests. Since 2013, the total care of patients in these facilities in aforementioned care and service has reached 23,319…
Very soon, the Mabalacat District Hospital will also be expanded and its equipment improved. Gov. Pineda is allocating P14 million for this project… We have about 900 government scholars at the City College whose tuition is funded by the city funds even while we continue to provide five percent from the general fund for the operation of the college…
To date, Mabalacat City College has produced 808 graduates and they are now making their own contributions to the world. At present, it has a student population of 2,948 and this figure is bound to increase in the coming years…
…Our city’s residual waste has been steadily decreasing. As a result, we saved about an average of P1 million a month in garbage disposal last year as our wastes serve as fuel for Holcim cement factory…
Our local peace and order council had reported renewed campaigns against criminality in the last seven months.
Oplan No Mercy, an operation on motorcycle users for example, issuance of 8,400 TCTs, impounding of 840 motorcycles, and the arrests of four persons suspected to be involved in carnapping and illegal possession of firearms.
The PNP also reported that it has caused the apprehension of 46 persons with existing warrants of arrest. On anti-drug operations, there have been 22 operations which netted 27 arrests. All these were made possible with the LGU providing mobility and logistical support to the PNP such as the Avanza utility van and five brand new motorcycles so they can easily catch up with suspected law breakers…
For the past 12 months, an estimated 40,000 individuals have benefi tted through provision of dental and medical care, feeding program, and livelihood referrals through barangay days… We have also conducted job fairs to give our citymates the opportunities to work.
These job fairs have successfully placed 471 job seekers in participating companies this year. Let me also report to you that inside Clark, 22 percent of the total 73,000 workers come from Mabalacat City, the biggest share by any LGU in terms of domicile…
This year alone, a total of 234 persons have been trained in various livelihood training courses like call center, plumbing, computer servicing, among others. There were also 660 individuals who benefitted in various livelihood training courses like candle-making, cassava product making, beauty care and many more…
Since 2013, we have collected some P1.2 billion in local taxes, permits and licenses. This brings to P1.631 billion the total revenues of Mabalacat since its conversion into a city two years ago. This despite our pledge not to raise taxes during the campaign for cityhood…
The city has also fast become a residential hub with developers building modern housing communities for both the rich and not-so-rich. There are about 15 housing projects in the city that are now in full swing…
We have built 28 kilometers of inner roads as well as canals, drainage systems, covered courts, classrooms and many more… Several years ago, we’ve adopted the slogan “Think Big” and it produced results. Now, we shall adopt the same theme.
Only it becomes “Think Bigger,” we grow as our city grows. Let us envision it as a progressive and competitive metropolis, a gateway to the world… …Mabalacat can become the next Makati north of Manila.
THUS SPAKE the Honorable Marino “Boking” Morales of the state of his city of Mabalacat. The resounding applause – I stopped counting at 13 – from the assembly of Mabalaquenos that jampacked SM City Clark’s Event Center last Monday made as resounding an affirmation of the veracity, not to mention the efficacy, of Boking’s service delivery to his constituency.
And, in effect, obliterated all doubts as to the legitimacy of his longevity in the mayor’s seat. Though, rather inexplicably, it was the picture of that luckless lass – so young and so dead, as yet unidentified victim of some heinous crime, dumped like used rag on the Dapdap (?) bridge crossing over the NLEx – that stayed with me throughout Boking’s soliloquy.
The spectral vision drawing sound bites from a different assembly only three weeks back. “What progress, what development can we brag about if our constituents, the youth as well as the adults, are mired in the use of illegal drugs? If our communities are in a vise-grip of crime and terror?”
That was Gov. Lilia G. Pineda – right to the face of Boking – at the meeting of all 1st District councillors, with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director-General Art Cacdac himself affirming the premiership of Mabalacat in the illegal drug trade as well as in the index of crimes.
Indeed – to paraphrase the Good Book – what doth it profi t Mabalacat City if it gaineth to be the Makati north of Manila, but suffereth its people the scourge of criminality?
