2004 STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS


WE HAVE WALKED THE TALK
Hon. Isagani S. Amatong
Provincial Governor, Zamboanga del Norte

Acknowledgement of Government Officials and Guests Present

“Ang buhat maoy pasultihon, dili ang sulti maoy pabuhaton.” - Gov. Isagani S. Amatong

INTRODUCTION

·                    One of the touchstones to success of this administration has been that, throughout the past 5 years we have “walked the talk”, staying true to the promise we made in 1998 to work for the good of the greater number of our people rather than for the personal interest of the few, and effectively put Zamboanga del Norte in the  Philippine map.

·                    We worked toward this end under the guiding principle on good local governance.  Our efforts to achieve good governance earned for us the Local Government Leadership Award where your Governor was chosen as one of the four Outstanding Governors of the country. The award was given to local chief executives who manifested the following criteria in his or her efforts to achieve good governance:

1)     transparency
2)     Text Box: -For 3 consecutive years have been chosen outstanding by the DSWD- has been entered in the “Hall of Fame” in delivery of basic services. accountability
3)     participation
4)     rule of law
5)     organization and management
6)     continuity and stability
7)     service delivery

ZAMBOANGA del Norte, the Gateway to Mindanao

·                    Alongside this promise is the commitment to establish Zamboanga del Norte  as the Gateway to Mindanao. It is a vision, that once fulfilled, will have positive domino effect on the province’s economy, giving rise to greater opportunities for development in the areas of agriculture, trade and industry and tourism. This will provide the catalytic push for the inflow of investment in the ZN-Provincial Agri-Industrial Center, in particular, and the province, in general.

Why Gateway to Mindanao?

·                    One is its strategic location in relation to the major sea and airport hubs of Metro Cebu in the Visayas, and Metro Manila in Luzon. Dipolog City, the commercial, financial and educational center of the province is:

-                     1 hour and 10 minutes by plane from Manila
-                     45 minutes  by plane from Cebu
-                     1and 1/2 hours by fast craft from  Dumaguete City
-                     5 and 1/2 hours from Cebu by fast craft via Tagbilaran City
-                     13 hours by non-fast craft carrier via Dumaguete City from Cebu
-                     9 hours (straight/non-stop sea travel) from Cebu  

·                    Seizing this advantage, we implemented projects and supported national government initiatives that would pave the way for an efficient inter-modal transport system, by land, sea and air.

All-Weather Road Networks

·                    Our national road network connecting to other provinces are maintained in good shape. The same with our provincial roads, which, in some areas, we have started to pave/asphalt.

·                    We have opened alternative routes that would facilitate access to the province from Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga City and the 2 Zamboanga provinces of del Sur and Sibugay, like :

 -  Piñan - Pob. Mutia - Brgy. Alvenda-Brgy.- Mansawan (Don Victoriano, Misamis Occidental) Road
-    Sibutad - Damasing (Rizal) – New Casul (Sapang Dalaga, Misamis  Occidental) Road
-    Mapang - Mabuhay (Rizal ) - Sinaad ( Misamis Occidental) Road
-    Sirawai  - Sibuco - Sto. Niño – Lintangan - Coastal Road to Labuan (Zamboanga City) Road
-    Sibuco – Lunday – Bacong - Vitali (Bdry.) - Kalabasa (Zamboanga City) Road
-     Pisawak – Kilalaban - R.T. Lim (Zamboanga Sibugay) Road
-    Tampilisan – Galingon - Cabong (Zambanga del. Norte)- Cabong (Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay) Road
-     Sindangan – Siayan – Dumingag (Zamboanga del Sur) Road
-     Pangandao (Manukan) – Lipay (Jose Dalman) – Dumogok (Siayan) – Dumingag (Zamboanga del Sur) Road

Under the Tulay ng Pangulo Program, a total of 13 bridge projects were completed with Palomok Bridge in Kalawit, to be fully completed by the first quarter of this year.

On-going Expansion / Improvement of Air and Sea Ports to accommodate increased passenger and cargo traffic

·                    We have strongly supported and pushed for the expansion and improvement of :

1)                 Dipolog City Airport under the ADB-assisted 3rd Airports Project in the amount of P 700.0 million. This would include the expansion of the runway, concrete fencing, installation of lighting facilities, improvement of the terminal building and sea wall, and lot acquisition.  To date, the city government of Dipolog and DOTC has purchased a total of 7.6 hectares amounting to P 27.0 million.

2)                 Pulauan Port in Dapitan City under the JICA assisted-Roll On-Roll Off Ferry Network Project of the national government with a total project cost of P 97.44 million.  On-going works include the repair/slope correction of existing pavement and relocation of drainage system, and the improvement of RC curtain wall and curb in the amount of P7.18 million.

Included under this project is Nabilid Port in Pres. Roxas made possible thru the intervention of this administration

3)                 Lamao Port in Liloy with a total project cost of P 35.0 million. Completed to date is the construction of rock bulkhead, perimeter fence and reclamation works in the amount of P 19.07 million.

Opening of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway, an agri-tourism highway from Luzon to Visayas and Mindanao regions

·                    The implementation of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway by the national government enhances the province’s role as the Gateway to Mindanao. This 919-kilometer highway interconnects 17 provinces and cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao  by land and sea routes using roll-on-roll-off (RO-RO) passenger and cargo vessels, ferryboats and fast crafts, and other modes of land transportation.

·                    Under this project, Pulauan Port in Dapitan City, is designated as the port of entry and jump-off point for  land and sea travelers  plying the western seaboard from Luzon and Visayas to Mindanao and vice-versa. It thus become the gateway to other destinations in Mindanao, such as the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga City in Region IX; Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, onwards to other Mindanao provinces and cities in Regions XI and XII.

·                    The opening of the highway  presents to us a couple of opportunities :

a) Enhances the inflow of investment for agro-industrial, commerce, trade, and tourism development in the province. The project provides efficient and convenient travel movement of local and international tourists and investors through shorter travel time and cheaper travel transportation costs.

b)     Gives our farmers and fisher folks an added window to distribute  their products faster and better, find new and bigger markets, and build a stronger network for inter-island trading.  Already, we have explored linkages with potential markets for our products along this nautical highway. One potential product is our corn which our agriculture people are closely coordinating with our corn farmers as regards the volume and quality of production required.

This administration’s drive towards working for the vast majority of our people is concretized thru various programs and projects directed to benefit the less fortunate and disadvantaged communities.  In last year’s SOPA, I pledged to do more and  sustain  what we have begun to improve the quality of life of our constituents.

By the end of 2003, I would say we have achieved a strong record of performance as suggested by the following accomplishments:

Scenes from the State of the Province Address (SOPA) of Governor Isagani S. Amatong held last February 23, 2004 at the ZN Convention Center.
 

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