Page 31 - OGA 2017
P. 31

Outstanding Governorship Award 2017




































        IMPROVING                                                   STRENGTHENING

        ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES                                    ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

            Recognizing that  development  could  only  be realized  if the  most   Hoping to widen economic activities in the province’s largest sector and
        unfortunate  of  the  population  are  reached,  Gov.  Taliño-Mendoza’s   attain  food  sufficiency,  Gov.  Mendoza  places  premium  on  developing  the
        administration implemented infrastructure projects -- road concreting and   province’s agriculture sector. This is evident in the programs she pursues for
        rehabilitation works, farm-to-market roads (FMR), bridges, water systems,   the  province’s  farmers  and  fisher  folk.  Through  the  Office  of  the  Provincial
        electrification,  school  buildings,  health  centers,  and  many  others  -  that   Agriculturist, the provincial government provides free seedlings of oil palm and
        would  effectively  improve  access  to  the  government’s  basic  services,   budded rubber, banana, (considered high-value crops), fruit trees, cacao, coffee,
        prioritizing the hardest-to-reach and most underserved communities and   vegetable seeds, hard wood trees; certified seeds of white open-pollinated corn;
        open them to better economic activities.                    palay; fertilizers; and livestock and poultry to farmers. In 2014, the provincial
            From  2010  to  2015,  the  provincial  government  cemented  a  total  of   government  distributed  90,909  oil  palm  seedlings,  179,258  quality  rubber
        58.208 kilometers of roads and repaired another 19.22 kilometers thereof;   seedlings, 1,250 bags of OPV white corn seedlings, and 8,972 heads of goats,
        repaired 2 bridges and built 3 hanging bridges; and carried out 3 electrification   carabaos, cows and poultry. The provincial government also instituted the
        projects in remote villages in Pikit, Magpet and M’lang to name a few.   Adopt-A-Fisherman program to help the province’s inland fishing industry, and
            Of  the  road  projects,  the  15.24  km  FMR  connecting  Barangays   provides fingerlings and non-motorized banca. All these assistance to farmers
        Malapag in Carmen and Tinimbacan in Banisilan stands out. “In the past,   and fisherfolks were provided depending upon their needs.
        we had to travel for 4-5 hours via Maramag, Bukidnon to go to Banisilan; the   Sixty-year old Exelis Oberio of Poblacion, Pres. Roxas, a beneficiary of the
        new road has cut the travel time to only 1 and a half hours,” says Malapag   cattle dispersal program attests to his gains: “In only 2 to 3 years, I could sell
        chairperson Mary Grace Panzo. For the lady governor, the strategy to put   a cow for Php15, 000.00 or more. This is truly beneficial to farmers like me.”
        in place necessary infrastructures, besides ensuring efficient delivery of   Gov. Taliño-Mendoza is the first local chief executive of the province to
        services, also  aims to  gain support  from  communities  to  participate  in   give due recognition to the potentials of tourism as a source of employment
        attaining the development goals of the province.            and, income, thereby providing better lives to many. With the help of the
                                                                    Department of Energy, she established the New Israel Eco-Tourism Park in
                                                                    Makilala that has become a top tourist destination for its unique offerings: a
                                                                    2.2-kilometer zipline, community of tamed monkeys, and the villages of the
                                                                    mystical Moncadistas. The area is a gateway to the country’s highest peak, Mt.
                                                                    Apo. She also developed the 140-meter-wide, curtain-like Asik-Asik Spring Falls
                                                                    in Alamada. Both sites are becoming the most favorite destinations of nature
                                                                    and adventure enthusiasts. Her strategies for a sustainable tourism industry
                                                                    include training local communities as service providers, not only to encourage
                                                                    them to care for these sites but also to provide them with livelihood. Efforts to
                                                                    assist micro, small and medium enterprises are also being strengthened with
                                                                    the provincial government providing support to business development and
                                                                    participation in local, national and international trade fairs.


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