OATH OF OFFICE. Reelected Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo (fifth from left) takes his oath of office in the presence of his wife, Mayor Janice Degamo of Pamplona town (2nd from left) and other family members at the Negros Oriental Convention Center on Sunday (June 30, 2019). In his inaugural address, he cited his administration's almost 100 percent accomplishment of programs and projects in the past three years. (Photo contributed by Neil Rio)
DUMAGUETE CITY – Negros Oriental Governor Roel R. Degamo enumerated to his constituents on Sunday the accomplishments of his administration during his finished term prior to being reelected into office in the May 13 political exercise.
“Today, I am happy to announce that we have accomplished almost 100 percent of what we pledged to do,” he said in his inaugural address as he led both the reelected and new provincial officials in an oath-taking at the Negros Oriental Convention Center.
Degamo said among these projects are on health, education, infrastructure, the environment, and peace and order, among others, that he cited in his last inaugural address three years ago.
Degamo mentioned the four-story Central Block Building at the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital, which currently has an oxygen generating plant and a bigger and spacious emergency room.
Other accomplishments at the NOPH and other hospitals in the province include the improvement of diagnostic capabilities, acquisition of medical equipment such as magnetic resonance imaging or MRI machine and computed tomography or CT Scan, and a Laparoscopy machine and the enhancement of hospital information system for easy access.
Also, the provincial government has put in place a total of 31 Basic Emergency Maternal Neonatal Care units (BEMONCs) with 21 in the Rural Health Units, nine in the District Hospitals, and one in the Barangay Health Station, while three Comprehensive Emergency Maternal Neonatal Care (CEMONCs) facilities were established in Guihulngan and Bayawan District Hospitals and at the Provincial Hospital.
In the past three years or so, the Degamo administration has also conducted 182 medical missions which have benefitted more or less 30,000 individuals across the province; established a Malasakit Center at the NOPH with a PHP10-million budget from the Office of the Special Assistant to the President, and now Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go; an Eye Center that is already operational at the NOPH that offers free eye consultations and services.
Degamo thanked all those who made these accomplishments possible in his previous term and called for unity among the political leaders to benefit the province’s constituents.
“I, therefore, extend my hands of unity to all my political opponents. Let us set aside politics and do our job, once and for all,” he said.
Degamo also enumerated what his administration hopes to achieve in the next three years.
“With this accomplishment, we are ready for the next three years. Under my banner program of HELP - Health, Education, and Environment, Livelihood Programs for Peace and Development, we will focus on these very important initiatives in the days ahead,” he said.
These would include programs and projects on health, such as the establishment of a Blood Bank; more equipment for the Provincial Diagnostic Center and procurement of ambulances for the Community Primary Hospitals; construction of a three-story building at the provincial hospital to upgrade it to a 1000-bed capacity; continuation of the medical scholarship program;
Infrastructure projects to augment the classroom shortage of the Department of Education; the Special Education Fund to be allocated for Research, Sports Program, Teacher Aide and Extension Intervention, among others; watershed protection and management; standing firm by its opposition to coal- and diesel-fuel operated power plants; and giving focus on Biodiversity Management in collaboration with environmental groups.
Also, the provincial chief executive said “we will continue our job fairs and skills development training. The Provincial Employment Service Office, the Provincial Agriculture Office, the Provincial Integrated Skills Training Center, and the Negros Oriental Organic Agriculture and Management Council, the Environment and Natural Resources Division, and the Gender and Development Programs are tasked to make this happen.”
“We need to improve our local economic development programs. We call on the new Sangguniang Panlalawigan to revisit our Local Investment and Incentives Code, and make necessary amendments if necessary,” he added.
On peace and development, Degamo announced that the provincial government has institutionalized the Joint Task Force on Security and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to complement the peace and security efforts of the provincial government.
He noted that more or less 80 communist rebels returned to the fold of the law during his incumbency. (PNA)
