TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, April 01 (PIA): Provincial Gov. Rodolfo P. del Rosario views some accomplishments of his administration as contribution to efforts on realizing the social contract of President Benigno S. Aquino III with the Filipino people.
In delivering his recent State of the Province Address (SOPA), Del Rosario incorporated reports on accomplishments of national programs and projects he adopted and mainstreamed in his development agenda dubbed as P.E.O.P.L.E.
Among the national concerns which he prominently figured out in his SOPA were the Philippine commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), the Universal Philhealth, and the Public-Private Partnership.
He discussed how the provincial government of Davao del Norte fared with the MDG commitment on Eradication of Extreme Poverty and Hunger and on Reduction of Child Mortality and Maternal Mortality rates.
He thanked President Aquino for extensively rolling out the Universal Health Program which absorbed in 2012, “60 percent of the 60,185 enrollments we did in 2010, leaving us with only 23,600 not-so-poor beneficiaries.”
“By freeing us of the 60 percent, we gained elbow room for other health investments,” Del Rosario said.
Meanwhile, Del Rosario disclosed setbacks such as reduction of internal revenue allotment (IRA), rejection of the Philippine bananas, and raging storms experienced last year, that could have slowed down the development pace set by the provincial government.
However, the Governor was grateful for the PPP approach which “complemented our limited government resources, and enabled us to efficiently achieve higher results,” he said.
Among the landmark PPP his administration clinched last year included the dairy project in New Corella implemented in partnership with Land O’lakes; road projects with the World Bank and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID); tourism access roads with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Davao del Norte Sports and Cultural Center with a private contractor which agreed to build it in a turn-key scheme of payment.
In citing these initiatives, Del Rosario made known the contribution of the provincial government to realizing the Filipino people’s aspiration to achieve changes in governance.
“In our humble way, we are able to give flesh to the lofty ideals of the Social Contract of President Aquino; we are able to convey the message that as a Contract, the government cannot unilaterally be responsible for influencing the development course; that ordinary people too primarily bears the responsibility to dictate their own development direction; that as contracting parties, government and people should together walk the Daang Matuwid,” he said.
A definition in the internet says that a social contract is the belief that the state only exists to serve the will of the people, and they are the source of all political power enjoyed by the state. They can choose to give or withhold this power.
The social contract of President Aquino seeks to address people’s cry for change amidst corruption, division, and lost of trust in democratic institutions.
Branding his thrust for change as “Tungo sa Daang Matuwid,” the President commits his administration to work on instituting good governance; economic development; human development; security, justice and peace; and climate change.
Believing in the direction that President Aquino had taken, Del Rosario was optimistic to see “further brightness in our future under the national leadership of President Aquino.”
Along with his hope for a brighter future, Del Rosario urged local leaders and constituents of Davao del Norte to “to support our President and the TEAM PNOY.”
“It is TEAM PNOY who will carry further in six years, the reforms initiated by President Noynoy,” he said.
He vowed to continue paving way for Daang Matuwid to reach “the remotest of our villages; enter the homes of every Dabaonon through basic social services; and make a lasting change of attitude to every Dabaonon heart.” (PIA XI/ Jeanevive D. Abangan)
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