Page 31 - OGA 2017

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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