CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – ““We congratulate you, Province of Pampanga, sa inyong best practices, kasi yung mga ginagawa ninyong maganda, lalo na with the help of Ate Baby [Gov. Lilia” Nanay” Pineda], ia-adopt namin.”
So, enthused Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto as she led a benchmarking visit to Pampanga on policies, programs, and projects that may be templated or replicated “para sa aming constituents, para mas maging epektibo po ang serbisyo namin para sa kanila.”
Gov. Pineda and Vice Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda, along with provincial chiefs of offices engaged with the Batangas delegation in knowledge-sharing sessions on various initiatives of the Pampanga Capitol, notably zero balance billing in collaboration with PhilHealth to ease the burden of medical expenses incurred by qualified patients in public hospitals; the Alagang Nanay Preventive Healthcare Program focused on early consultation and detection of ailments through screening, laboratory services, and early medical interventions; the Pampanga floating hospital, the country’s first, that serves coastal and riverine barangays; and the Pampanga mobile pharmacy that dispenses prescription medicines to residents in far-flung barangays, with special focus on the elderly for their maintenance medicines.
The Batangas delegation made on-site visits at the Clark Multi-Specialty Medical Clinic and the Pampanga Provincial Hospital-Clark to observe the facilities, systems, and services.
The benchmarking sessions also discussed Pampanga’s best practices in infrastructure, education, agriculture and the management of quarry operations and revenues accruing to the provincial fiscal resources that ensure continuous funding to the Capitol’s programs and projects.
Towards stronger collaboration and enhancement of relationship between the two provinces for the greater good of their constituents, Santos-Recto and Pineda signed a sisterhood agreement between Batangas and Pampanga at the end of the benchmarking activity. With Pampanga PIO/Photos: Daniel Ombina
