CDO hits targets, goes beyond boundaries

• Source:https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1023405
• Saturday June 22, 2019

By Recthie T. Paculba (RTP/PIA10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--Noting the significant accomplishments of the city, Mayor Oscar Moreno stressed the importance of looking beyond boundaries in attaining such, as there are no boundaries in health, education, and peace and order.

In the 69th Charter Day celebration of the city, June 15 at Kiosko Kagawasan, here, Moreno presented his Term Report 2016-2019 showing remarkable statistics in poverty alleviation, peace and order and public safety, revenue generation, infrastructure and investment employment, metropolization, education and environmental protection, housing, health and hospital services, agricultural productivity, and traffic and tourism (PRIMEHAT).

"We have been able to do so many things in the service for the people of the city," the mayor said emphasizing the CDO today has transformed itself given its many distinct advantages even compared to other local government units in Mindanao.

Revamped social services

With about 16,063 beneficiaries provided with P118 million worth of livelihood assistance, 4,041 persons with disability (PWDs) registered and provided with identification cards, and 38,890 senior citizens provided with IDs and booklets and 18 centenarians awarded with cash incentives, Moreno said the whole gamut of social services now embarked by the city government is comprised of womb to tomb assistance.

Moreover, about 2,390 solo parents are now registered and provided with IDs, 12,463 households were relocated to newly established resettlement sites, and 65,000 indigent beneficiaries are enrolled under PhilHealth.

Aside from providing scholarship support to 1,309 students and putting up of 275 more classrooms in 26 new school buildings built, the city is set to organize a jobs assistance center where companies can easily tap the LGU for job posting to ensure employment of graduates. Such will also connect the employers and the job seekers.

"The poverty alleviation agenda involved the provision of affordable, accessible, adequate and quality social services along social welfare, education, heath, housing and resettlement, employment assistance, skills trainings, direct livelihood support, and agricultural/fishery support," Moreno said.

Boost in revenue generation

Recording P3.4 billion of revenues from all sources in 2018, P1.78 billion collected from taxes and non-tax sources, the city government's total revenues from local and external sources grew by 13 percent annually during the last three years.

"The city has also registered 26,352 businesses by the end of 2018, its highest ever, including those owned by companies whose buildings dramatically altered the city's urban landscape," the mayor said.

With such development, the city backed necessary infrastructure support such as the concreting of 73.6 kilometers of roads, installing of 22,440 linear meters of flood control/mitigation structures worth P377.5 million, redeveloping the 30-year old, hazardous dumpsite, and getting rid of hanging spaghetti wires and redundant poles.

Making a mark

In the city's quest to make a mark, Moreno said the city has earned the Galing Pook Award twice in succession, Seal of Good Local Governance of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, 2017 National Championship and Best in Digital Payment award, and the Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping for 2016 and 2017.

Cagayan de Oro also maintained its Top 10 ranking among the most competitive cities in the country aside from being the Most Resilient City nationwide.

Furthermore, the city government was adjudged as one of the finalists of the 2018 Most Business-Friendly LGUs as it exemplifies commendable initiatives towards good governance reforms that promote trade and investments significantly contributing to local economic development.

On top of such achievements, Moreno stressed "growth cannot just be internally generated. One has to look for a wider network because together, people can do a lot of things for the better."

To this, he seeks for the intervention of the national government to help the city in prioritizing projects and to fully bring the government closer to the people.