(Excerpted from the BOHOL SUNDAY POST, August 31, 2008 issue, page B-16C)

In context of true leadership, I am committed to cross the issue of politics in order not to hamper the delivery of service for our people. Under my leadership as a mayor, I will harmonize politics, good governance and true public service to realize our visions and our dreams for a better Trinidad.

As what I always say, let us invest in good deeds today for we all shall live once and we shall pass away when our time must come. We must possess the desire to leave a legacy of good deeds a desirable character to be reckoned by the next generation.

As I have always shared with my friends, I am aware that my career in politics is not a lifetime. I only have 3 years for this term, and because of this reality, I want to leave a legacy as a working leader and a leader who encourages positive behavior by example.

And finally, with all this accomplishments, I should not forget to thank those who helped this administration. First and foremost to Congressman Ondoy Cajes who shared my mission to leave a legacy, of course to our Governor Erico Aumentado who never failed to give his support to all our undertakings, to the board members of the 2nd district, to the national government agencies like the DPWH, BFAR, DENR, DOH, DAR, DILG and DA. And of course, the dynamic team of LGU Trinidad (head of offices and employees) who have now come to embrace the ideals, philosophies and priorities of this administration.


Thank you very much and Mabuhay!

HON. JUDITH DEL ROSARIO-CAJES
Municipal Mayor
Trinidad, Bohol
(August 28, 2008)



l.i.f.e       Livelihood
                    Infrastructure
                    Food & Health
                    Education


Livelihood

We have implemented several projects and programs like Steel Fabrication in the Barangays Hinlayagan Ilaya and Poblacion, Decorative Lamp Making in Barangay M.Roxas and Candle-making in Poblacion.

We have also allotted P140,000.00 for vermin-composting projects in 14 pilot Barangay to encourage segregation of wastes and as an income generating project.

The LGU also received P200,000 from BFAR for Talaba culture in the barangays of Tagum Sur and Tagum Norte. Plus passing-on-the-gift dispersals from Let’s Help Bohol and LIFFE programs.

We have also initiated to enroll an initial 700 validated indigents in the Philhealth for indigents program for this year.


Infrastructure

We have accomplished the drainage of the Trinidad Gym, Painting and upgrading of facilities in the Trinidad Gym to include rubberized painting for the hard court, electronic scoreboard and shut clocks, fiberglass boards and industrial fans to improve ventilation. Plus the drilling of deep well which now provide water supply to the Gym, The Municipal Hall and TMC which means savings of the LGU on water bills.

The public market is on the process of face-lifting. We improve its public toilet, constructed ramps to promote better accessibility and convenience to our constituents, implemented proper operation and proper management of the public market and most of all, we have already finished the construction of the new P5 million disable-friendly public market, along the elevated side of the highway going to Ubay which shall be inaugurated this September 1.

Soon we shall also start the construction of another P5 million public market along the highway going to San Miguel.

We have improved the roads in this town to include the street front of the St. Isidore Church, Barangay road Guinobatan, tourism and FMR roads leading to Barangay Cave in Barangay Sto. Tomas and Kawasan Falls In Barangay San Isidro. And soon we shall implement the street improvements in sitio Sto Nino, sitio Camangales in Poblacion and the street leading to the Poblacion Barangay Hall. Plus the maintenance and repairs of the several Barangay roads.

We have also initially accomplished the renovation of the PNP Station and we shall also soon undertake the P1M birthing-home thru the support of Senator Migs Zubiri.

The construction of additional 4 classrooms building in Trinidad Municipal College with major repairs of its old administration building are significant proof of the LGU’s commitment for better facilities for education.


Food and Health

Amidst the limited budget of the LGU, I have given priority to medicines and other health related programs to respond to need for health services of our people. We have empowered our Barangay Nutrition Scholars and Barangay Health Workers thru a series of seminars & workshops.

We diligently visited all the Barangays to promote health-related programs thru or Barangay Health Outreach Program which integrates the six major issues, namely: Solid Waste Management, Backyard Gardening, Distribution of Medicines, Nutrition Program, Clean and Green Program, Rabies Eradication Program, Philhealth Program for indigents and Validation of the lists of Indigents. Senior Citizen and Persons with Disability.

To measure the result of the Barangay Health Outreach Program we have conducted the evaluation, the winning Barangays shall be awarded during the anniversary Program come September 1. we have also given weighing scales to elementary schools as a tool to monitor the incidence of malnutrition among our school children.


Education

We have already solved the ownership problem of Trinidad Municipal College. This problem remained unsolved for several years, but under our administration, the problem has finally been solved. Hence, we are able to facilitate developments to uplift the quality of education we offer to the young people.

We have already accomplished the construction of additional 4 concrete classrooms for TMC plus the purchase of additional high-end computers. We have adopted laderization of our technical courses, with the able guidance and supervision of TESDA and with consultation with CHED.

Before, TMC had only 1 Baccalaureate course, but today, we offer 2 new Baccalaureate: BS in Office Administration and BS in Information Technology. By next semester out ITY courses shall have 4 majors and 4 minor fields of specialization, to include data-base management, digital imaging, multi-media, animation, among others.

For the first time in the history of this LGU, the office of the Mayor allotted P100,000.00 from the discretionary fund to be equally divided by the 20 barangays as additional funds for educational purposes aside from the Municipal Special Education Funds.

I have also attended to the request of the local School Board to change the budgeting of the SEF in order to respond to the needs of the educational system and present demands. I have spared budget for the establishment of the Library Hub which now cater to the needs of Trinidad and its neighboring towns.


Interesting Figures…

As for the fiscal and financial management of this LGU, I am happy to share that in the first year of this administration, we have registered an increase in income of Php 2, 730,819.64 compared to the last one year of the previous administration.

As for the expenses of the LGU, amidst the fact we have made so many repairs on vehicles and equipment and improve street lightning of Poblacion, plus the many programs and activities we have implemented, we are still able to save Php 1,932,560.48 compared to the expenses of the previous administration. From the expenses of the previous Administration period covering July 2006 to June 2007 they spent Php 39,021,427.47, but under this administration from July 2007 to June 2008 we only spent Php 37,088,866.99, hence the decrease of almost P2 million pesos from expenses and increase of almost P3 million in income.

As for the SEF generated from the Real Property Tax, we have already improved the collection. From the registered deficit in last year’s target, this year we have already exceed the Target as of July 31, 2008. We have already obtained Php 734,570.34 which shows that we exceed the target Php 708,800 meaning that we have an excess of Php 25,770.34 as of July 31, 2008.