Our Advocacies as Lasting Legacy for Pozorrubio

PLUS MINUS FACTOR

By Heriberto A Bautista, Municipal Information Consultant

Administrations come and go but it is their lasting legacies that counts in which we, their constituents, remember them.

I had been a municipal consultant for administrative and information matters for ten (10) years since the inception of the Chan administration in July 1, 1998 under former Mayor Artemio Q. Chan and under the incumbent mayor Emma Zosima T. Chan.  As much as I can recall, the following are our best and lasting legacies for Pozorrubio:

Participative Governance – When everybody shares, everybody cares. This scheme of governance enlists the participation of all stakeholders for good and effective governance. This is done through consultation, consensus and empowerment. It promotes involvement, transparency and accountability in governance. Good governance is not only the sole responsibility of government but also the governed or t he people themselves who put up and placed that government. It involves communal actions for all LGU activities.

Ecumenical or Interfaith Prayer – Year in and year out, especially during town fiestas, an ecumenical or interfaith prayer is held wherein different religious sects in the community participate in thanksgiving and prayer to foster unity in diversity of religious beliefs which is for peace, solidarity, teamwork and progress.

Sense of History – There is a saying that says a person who doesn’t know how to look back from where he came from cannot reach the destination where he is going. So the Chan administration initiated the change of date of the town fiesta to a more significant and advantageous date, from May 10-12 to January 8-13 every year. The more valid reason is that the town of Pozorrubio was founded on January 13. Besides, it is not anymore rainy season which cause havoc to the celebration. In addition, classes are still going on and so give more time and space for a wider participation of teachers, students and pupils from both the local elementary and secondary schools. As everyone knows that there can be no successful municipal activities without the full support, cooperation and participation of the Deped family.

Communal Activities – These activities which are of national and local importance like government thrusts, program and projects promote unity, teamwork and cooperation like Nutrition which earned Pozorrubio a CROWN (Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition) for three (3) consecutive years and was given due recognition by no less than the President. Another one is the LGU-Pozorrubio ALS Program in which the ART & EMMA Literacy Program headed by Mayor Emma T. Chan as its Literacy Worker who was awarded fourth (4^th) place in the national level. This shows that the local administration acknowledges that knowledge is power and the key to progress.

Another one is the LGU-Pozorrubio Sports Program. Pozorrubio is becoming the Sports Capital of Pangasinan. Most of Pozorrubio athletes participated at the yearly Palarong Pambansa representing the province and Region I.  The Chan administration recognizes that strong citizenry promotes a strong municipality and a strong republic.

Another communal activity is the enhancement of tax collection and judicious spending of the municipality through the support and cooperation of the citizenry because of their trust and confidence with the Chan administration that their tax money is not wasted or evaporated so much so that Pozorrubio placed number eight (8^th) in the Regional Net Income.

Corollary to the foregoing communal activity are the massive infrastructure projects done by the Chan administration. This was made possible due to the efficient tax collection and judicious fiscal management. Never in the  history of Pozorrubio were such gigantic infrastructure projects done like the construction of the New Public Markey,  SB Building, Executive Building, the New Public Plaza and the Rural Health Building, just to mention a few of them. Soon to follow is the construction of the building for t he offices of the national agencies of the government.

There are more legacies and advocacies but suffice it to say that the foregoing are, to our mind and belief, the  more tangible accomplishment which we are more than happy to be a part of as our best legacy for our beloved town Pozorrubio.