"Individual is the center of development”

“Human development is much more than economics. It creates an environment in which people can develop to their full potential and lead productive, creative lives in accord with their needs interests.

People are the real wealth of nations and thus human development means expanding the choices people have to lives that they value.

Economic growth is the only way-If not a very important one-for a nation to increase the choices available to its people”. 

a.       Social Welfare and Development

i.         Assistance in Crisis Situation (AICS): financial assistance provided to 1,261 indigents amounting to Php 1,123,252.00.

ii.       Outreach Programs for the Poor Children, Persons with Disadvantaged Women, Out-of-School Youth:

1.       Party for the Poor

2.       Skills Development, Technical and Vocational Trainings in Partnership with TESDA, DSWD through PEACE, Project Barangay Empowerment through Learning Livelihood Activities (mobile food carts), Handog ng Pangulo.

iii.      Day Care Centers

1.       Repair of Day Care Center (Barangay 1-Casiguran)

2.       Repair of Day Care Centers (Barangay 3, San Luis))

3.       Completion of Day Care Cente(Barangay Calantas-Casiguran)

4.       Improvement of Glicerio De Vera Day Care Center (Barangay suklayin-Baler)

iv.      Establishment Child Minding Center at the Provincial Capitol Compound serving 22 children ages 1 to 5 of parent-employees of the PGA.

b.       Search for Excellence

i.         By giving awards to Best Employees in the PGA in three various categories.

ii.       Tuklas Talino in the fields of dancing, singing, visual and performing arts.

c.       Good Governance

i.         Sound Fiscal Management

1.       Increase in income by 36.92% in 2007 form 2004 level and by 65.46% in 2008 from 2004 level.

Where:

a.       F.Y. 2004    -           Php 241,144,224.30

b.       F.Y. 2007    -           Php 330,169,839.62

c.       F.Y. 2008    -           Php 399,008,299.35

2.       Increase in assessment of real properties by 15% from F.Y. 2004 level of Php 2,566,431,400.00 to F.Y. 2008 level of Php 2,953,279,790.00.

3.       Increase in local taxes and other income from Php 5,771,297.00 in 2004 to Php 8,412,056.19 in 2008

4.       External Fund Sources:

For F.Y. 2008

a.       Early Childhood Care & Development Php 8,818,863.05 (Council for the welfare of Children)

b.       6^th Country Program for Children Php 2,196,878.80 (UNICEF)

c.       Special Local Roads Program

Php 905,384.20

d.       PDAF (SEJA) Php 14,225,613.69

e.       PDAF (Congressman Sonny) Php 47,240,000.00

f.         Phil Tourism Authority for ermita Hill Development Php 9,997,360.00 F.Y. 2007

 a.       PDAF (Congressman Sonny) Php 39,359,089.62

b.       PDAF (Sen Gordon) Php 100,000.00

c.       GGP from EOJ for PEACE Building construction Php 4,242,540.00

d.       DBP Forest Php 681,159.48

e.       Construction of FTMR from Congressman Sonny) Php 31,000,000.00

ii.       Infrastructure Development (PGA Own funds)

Amounting to Php 84,945,779.00

 1.       Roads and Bridges (Php 9.8 Million)

a.       New Construction (3 bridges)

i.         Diversion of Igang Ridge along  Casiguran-Dilasag Provincial Road

ii.       Real Bridge (Barangay real-San Luis)

iii.      Culat Bridge (Barangay Culat-Casiguran)

b.       Completion (4 roads)

i.         Improvement of Dingalan-Umiray Provincial Road

ii.       Concreting of Casiguran-Dilasag Provincial Road (Dilasag Section)

iii.      Concreting of Dingalan-Umiray Provincial Road (Ibona section)

iv.      Concreting of Maria Aurora-Dipaculao Provincial Road

(Dipaculao Sections)

2.       Hospital and Health Centers (Php 4.9 Million)

3.       Construction/Repair of School Buildings and Day Care Centers (Php 10.175 Million)

4.       Agricultural support infrastructures (Php 34,673,279.00)

a.       Farm to Market Roads (9)

i.         San Leonardo-sta Lucia FTMR (Maria Aurora)

ii.       Kailugan FTMR (Ibona, Dingalan)

iii.      Diawagan FTMR (Borlongan-Dipaculao)

iv.      Suguit-Dialatnan FTMR (Maria Aurora)

v.        Leog-leog FTMR (Simbahan-Dinalungan)

vi.      Tabon-Setan FTMR (Baler)

vii.     Riverside FTMR (Obligacion-Baler)

viii.   Cabanuangan FTMR (Dilasag)

ix.     Dimotol FTMR (Dianawan, Maria Aurora)

b.       Barangay Roads (4)

i.         Real-Dibalo Road (San Luis)

ii.       Upper Bulos Road (Dinadiawan-Dipaculao)

iii.      Pingit-Ilaya Proper Road (Baler)

iv.      PAGASA Extension Road (Zabali-Baler)

c.       Small Water Impoundment Projects (3)

i.         So. Takbon SWIP (Dilasag)

ii.       So. Dicabibian SWIP (Dilasag)

iii.      So. Malitanayen SWIP (Dilasag)

5.       Livelihood support infrastructures ( Php 2.82 Million)

6.       Tourism and Environmental Protection Infrastructures (Php 15,632,500.00)

a.       Ermita Hill Development (Baler)

b.       Ermita Hill Development (Casiguran)

c.       Sabang Beach Shore Protection (Baler)

7.       Provincial Governent Offices and other related infrastructure projects (Php 6.945 Million)

a.       PDCC Office

b.       Tourism Office

c.       APGEA Canteen

d.       Sangguniang Panlalwigan Building

e.       PGA/Other Government facilities including PNP women’s quarter at Camp Ravina

iii.                 Grants of Benefits/Stipends

1.       PGA employees and APGEA

2.       Barangay Nutrition scholars

3.       Barangay Health Workers

4.       Day Care Workers

5.       Aid to Barangays amounting Php 1.51 Million

6.       Barangay and Municipal Share from Local taxes and Quarry.

iv.                  Increased employment

1.       Hired 528 Casual employees with complete benefit package as Permanent Employees.

2.       Job Orders increased from 1,013 (2007) to 4,220 (2008)

v.                    Maintenance of Provincial Roads

1.       Regular maintenance of provincial road covers 72.156 kilometers out of the total provincial road length of 95.187 kilometers and generated employment of 271 workers from PGA and emergency maintenance activities brought about by typhoons covers 44.242 kilometers for a total funding of Php 2.7 Million.

2.       Motor Vehicle Users’ Charge (MVUC) Fund average of Php 900,000.00 per year since 2004 and generated employment of 149 workers covering 60.42 kilomters of provincial road.

d.                   System Installation (Efficiency and Integrity in PGA operation)

i.         Automated attendance Monitoring System through Biometric Device and Payroll system.

ii.       Government Procurement  reform Act

1.       Project Procurement Management Plan (for each development/office)

2.       Annual Procurement Plan (consolidated plan for bulk purchase or bidding purposes)

3.       Updated Procurement System.

iii.      Electronic National Government Accounting system or e-NGAS roll-out (1^st province to adopt in Central Luzon)

e.                   Disaster Preparedness

i.         Early Warning System through KOICA and PAGASA

ii.       Procurement of Equipment for Rescue Operation

iii.      Quick Response to vehicular accident, missing motor banca and survivors, fire incidence, etc.

f.                     Support of Sannguniang Panlalawigan to the executive-Legislative Agenda of the Provincial Government of Aurora

i.         Enacted 20 Provincial Ordinances and Adopted 201 resolutions, e.g.

1.       Reproductive Health Care Code

2.       Environmental Code

3.       Tax Code

4.       RPC as Economic Enterprise

5.       Regulation to Prevent Coconut Leaf Beetle

6.       Operation of the PEACE

7.       Enforcement of Anti-Trafficking Persons Act of 2003

8.       Institutionalization of Literacy Program

9.       Creation/Organization of Center for Culture and the Arts Development

10.   Limiting the Issuance  of small scale Minning Permit

11.   Creation of Provincial Tourism council

g.                   Promote Streamlining Program in the Issuance of Mayor’s Permit to support the fight against red tape in the bureaucracy and reduce the cost of doing business in the province.

 1.       Baler was awarded first prize for the 3^rd class LGU category in Region 3 as the Outstanding LGUPractioner Implementing the streamlining Project All Municipalities of Aurora are Implementing the streamlining Project.

h.                   Essential Government Extension Offices:

1.       GSIS Satelite Office

2.       PNP Crime Laboratory-SOCO

3.       PDEA

4.       NBI

i.                     Justice Peace and Order

i.         Aurora has the lowest crime rate in Region III

ii.       Coordination with RTC, PNP, PA nad DILG

iii.      SUPPORT TO Prisoners

1.       Improvement of Provincial Jail facilities

2.       Vocational trainings/livelihood

3.       Dental/medical assistance

iv.      Justice on Wheels

1.       Conciliation

2.       Simultaneous Hearings

3.       Information Dissemination on Justice

Administration

v.        Support to Rebel returnees

1.       Livelihood and /or Skills Training

2.       Employment either JO or OYSTER

3.       Social Integration Program through Philippine Army, PNP, Office of the Presidential Assistant for Peace Process (OPAPP) and PGA

4.       Scholarship

j.                     PEACE

i.         Grant  (Php 4.2 Million) from the Embassy of Japan for Skills-Development Center focused on vulnerable sectors (unique feature of the Center’s clientele)

1.       Inaugurated by HE Amb. Makoto Katsura on Japan 11, 2008

2.       Assistance from Congressman Sonny Angara for the equipment

3.       Allocation of land through Mayor Angara and support from Baler Sangguniang Bayan.

4.       Operated and manages by PGA in collaboration with TESDA and PSWD.

ii.       Empowerment of Vulnerable Sectors:

1.       Persons with Disabilites

2.       Indigenous Persons

3.       Out-of-School Youth

4.       Disadvantaged Women

5.       Senior Citizens

iii.                                             Trainings/Skills development (initial course offered)

1.                      Shoe repair and Slipper Making

2.                      Baking, Basic Cullinary Arts/Commercial Cooking

3.                      Flower Arrangement

4.                      Beauty care and Hair Dressing

5.                      Personal computer operation

6.                      Massage theraphy

7.                      Housekeeping

8.                      Reflexology course

9.                      Hair cutting

10.                  Table setting

iv.                                             Started construction of Coffee Shop, Wellness Center, Learn and Play Center intended for the graduates of the center and construction of stalls/café for the products and services of

v.                                               Assistance from Senator Loren Legarda for the construction of Women’s Center

vi.                                             Scholarship Program from TESDA (through Pangulong Gloria Scholarship) amounting to Php 1.8 Million to start this year. Initial income in 2008 amounted to Php 176,000.00 (Php 54,000.00 for massage and Php 94,000.00 cor commercial cooking) now in trust fund. Donation from friends of BAC and from private individuals reached some Php 78,436.66 also in trust fund.

vii.                                            Total number of graduates is 104 where 65 percent (68 individuals) are now self-employed.

k.                  Awards for the Province      

i.                                                Most outstanding Governor Award in the field of Social Services awarded by Association of Local Social Welfare and Development Officers of the Philippines.

iii.                                             Most Outstanding LCE supportive of Student Technologist and Enterpreneurs of the Philippines (STEP awarded by DepEd.

Major economic development in the Province

i.                                                Aurora Special Economic Zone (Republic Act No. 9490)

ii.                                              Casiguran International Airport

iii.                                             Casiguran Seaport

iv.                                             Improvement of Baler-Casiguran Road

v.                                               Improvement of San Luis-Maria Aurora-Castañeda-Pantabangan Road

vi.                                             Improvement of Tarlac-Nueva Ecija-Aurora dingalan Port Road

vii.                                            Implementation of construction of Bazal Bridge in Maria Aurora and Umiray Bridge connecting Aurora and Quezon

viii.                                          President’s Bridge Projects

ix.                                            Urgent Bridges Construction Projects

What to look forward to:

i.                                                Job Generation

ii.                                              Increase business opportunities

a.                      Aurora Development Master Plan anchored on the expansion of Food Base in the areas of Agriculture and Environmental resources to promote sustainable livelihood and food security.

i.      20 Business Plans will ne initiated within the year to embark on poverty reduction:

Livelihood Model in Coconut Areas (4 ways of making money)

1.       Intercropping of High Value Crops

2.       Establishement of Nursery

3.       Livestock raising

4.       Handicrafts through community participation

iii.                                                                                 Foreign and Local (Public and Private) Investments

iv.                                                                                 No to illegal drugs, no to illegal gambling and responsive governance