SOCA

MAYOR LINO UNDERSCORES AN ‘ECONOMICALLY EMPOWERED TACURONG’ IN SOCA 2022

Hovering through the setbacks of the COVID-19 dilemma for 2 years, City Mayor Lino O. Montilla punctuated an economic outlook for Tacurong – by sustaining the city’s local economy through infrastructures and investors – in his 1st State of the City Address (SOCA) during the Formal Opening of the Regular Session of the 8th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Tacurong, January 19, 2022.

Bent on optimizing the city’s economic growth, Mayor Lino believes that infrastructure buildup will boost job creations, employment, and constituents’ reception of services which will all later on fuel the economy of Tacurong to thrive amid the crisis.

After recounting the fluctuating COVID-19 crisis in the city and his avid call for vaccination and boosters, Mayor Lino then highlighted some of the ongoing constructions and developments he assumed and continued from the previous administration of the late City Mayor Angelo O. Montilla.

One of which is the People’s Dialysis & Diagnostic Center which is currently in its Phase 3 of completion.

Another is the Development of Pioneer or Veterans Avenue in Brgy. Poblacion for the benefit of all the TODAs in the city. It will also serve as one of the food stations in the city to help and encourage local vendors.

Underway also in the city is the Redevelopment of Magsaysay Park Project under the Green, Green, Green Program of the Department of Budget and Management that is already at 67 percent.

On the other hand, the thoroughfares of Tacurong are already well-lit with the near completion of the P50-million solar streetlight Mayor Angelo has started. This is accompanied by the center island project of the Department of Public Works and Highways that also provides brighter illumination to the national highways of the city.

Mayor Lino also stressed that to ramp up a better road experience for the motorists by alleviating traffic in the main district highways, the 13-kilometer East Bypass Road under the ROLL IT program of the Department of Trade and Industry is already at 52 percent.

This is coupled with the ongoing West Bypass Road Project concretion. Soon, there will be a circumferential road connecting the west and east bypass roads that will function as diversion roads for trucks and other heavy vehicles in the city.

Farm-to-market roads are also included in Mayor Lino’s checklist for development as the LGU continues to dispense annual city aid to our barangays for their road repair and concreting projects.

As for the LGU’s infrastructures in its vicinity, Mayor Lino has greenlighted additional funding for the remaining furnishes of the new Executive and Legislative Buildings.

Further, Mayor Lino stressed that one marker of the revival of the local economy is the booming business sector. In 2021, 2,504 business registrants were logged with 426 of these belonging to new registrations.

Mayor Lino also elatedly conveyed that Tacurong has taken in its arms bigger business entities such as the NCCC Davao which has begun setting up its Hypermarket behind Dragon Gasoline Complex in Brgy. New Isabela.

This is just in addition to the presence of Robinsons and Gaisano malls which have already acquired properties for their structures in the city as well as the looming possibility of SM Malls also entering Tacurong.

As for Mayor Lino’s self-initiative, on the progressive lookout are the installation of a Digital Traffic System; the formation of a Super Health Center to bolster the existing City Health Office; the creation in Brgy. Calean of an Eco-Tourism Park, as well as a 20-bed Balay Silangan as a temporary rehabilitation shelter for drug offenders; the construction of a 6-court badminton facility inside Tacurong Pilot Elementary School; and the placement of 270 solar panels on the roof of Tacurong City Cultural and Sports Center intended for the whole city hall building’s power supply.

In conclusion to his SOCA, Mayor Lino articulated his earnest appreciation to SP Tacurong, his colleagues, the employees of the city government, all stakeholders, and most especially the people of Tacurong for the continued support and unity to the LGU and his leadership.

City Vice Mayor and Presiding Officer of the 8^th SP Lalaine J. Montilla also responded to the Local Chief Executive’s statement by citing the existing Executive-Legislative Agenda or ELA which has assisted both branches to execute unified decisions towards the employment of better services and programs for Tacurongnons.

Mayor Montilla of Tacurong reports on his first 6 months in office

Hundreds of spectators, all stakeholders and representatives of the different sectors in the city, gathered on January 22 at the Tacurong City Cultural and Sports Center; they were eagerly waiting for the first-ever State of the City Address of Mayor Angelo O. Montilla, six months after taking office in June 2019. They were not disappointed.

Montilla boldly reported that in the short period since taking the reigns, his administration was able to accomplish many firsts in the history of this city’s governance.

Foremost of these was the Php655,697.585.86 annual budget boosted by his decisive order of stepping up the treasury’s tax collection efficiency: business owners were persuaded to pay taxes, business license processing was made faster and easier, and payment deadlines were enforced. After operating expenses, the city’s coffers retained a Php 122,477,633.35 surplus, a first in the city’s history.

Proof of such efficiency is the Blue Certification Level 2 given by the Office of the Ombudsman in December 2019 for passing the standards set for ease of doing business by embracing efficient systems and procedures.

Not wasting time in infrastructure, Montilla got down to working on the city’s dialysis center, two-story public market, multi-purpose and legislative buildings, rehabilitation of Magsaysay Park, and the conversion of Quezon Avenue into a food street. Heeding the call of the constituents on social media, solar-powered streetlights are starting to be built along the streets of the roundabout, public market, and Brgy. San Pablo. Farm-to-market roads in barangays Buenaflor, San Emmanuel, and San Pablo are constructed, and construction continues in other barangays.

A 32-camera CCTV network and 24/7 command center have also been established.

Other works in the pipeline include the establishment of the city fuel depot, purchase of lots for land banking, upgrade of the interactive fountain into a musical fountain, beautification of the oval area, centralized sound system for the city gym, and strengthening of the city’s CCTV system.

Awards also came pouring in: Bronze Award on PRIME-HRM conferred by the Civil Service Commission, one of the Best-Performing City Peace and Order Councils in Region 12 conferred by the DILG, rank 2 in Regional Gawad Kalasag Award, national finalist in the Digital Governance Awards by the DILG and DICT, and election of Mayor Montilla as Regional Representative of Region 12 to Mayors in the League of Cities of the Philippines.

With all these accomplishments under his belt after just a few months in office, Montilla still calls on the continued support of the citizenry, the business community, the transport groups, and the public and private sectors. “Give us a little bit more time, more patience if you please; give us a chance to do good on our promise of achieving great things for our dear city,” Montilla pleads.

Lastly, no longer a novice to the cruelty of social media, Montilla especially calls on the attention of the bashers, “Kung mag-issue kamo, amon guid ina ginabaton, kag ginasulod guid namon sa amon nga mga huna- huna kag tagipusuon kung ano ang maayo para sa aton siyudad. Kung maghikay, tagai man ninyo sang gakalaigo nga solusyon ang inyo hikay para mas mapadali naton ang pagbag-o sang aton pinalangga nga syudad.” (Whatever your criticism, we always accept it, and we put into our hearts and minds things that are good for our city. If you criticize, suggest the right solution along with it, so that we may effect change faster for our beloved city.) (YMR, LGUTac-Info)

Mayor Montilla delivers State of the City Address

December 16, 2015
by Yen Robles

Before hundreds of locals, community leaders, and LGU stakeholders, Mayor Lina O. Montilla of Tacurong delivered the State of the City Address (SOCA) on 16 December 2015 during the 48^th Regular Session of the 6^th Sangguniang Panlungsod held at the City Cultural and Sports Center. The most applauded parts of the SOCA were Montilla’s sharing of the city’s awards and recognitions on good governance, LGU’s financial support on K-12, and multi-million livelihood and skills training programs through Bottom-UP Budgeting (BUB) and local funds. The mayor also revealed that because of the LGU’s efficient implementation of BUB programs, Tacurong is one of the only two LGUs in the country to receive a P5 Million incentive this year. This amount will be used for additional anti-poverty projects. “The impact of our programs to our citizens is over and beyond the awards. However, these recognitions assure us that indeed we are on the right and fair track,” said Montilla. Vice Mayor Joseph George Lechonsito also delievered his response to the mayor’s SOCA. Lechonsito expressed the Sanggunian’s continued support to the city’s vision and mission on sustainable development. Both mayor and vice mayor emphasized the importance of teamwork and accountability as the core of excellent public service. (LGU-Tacurong City Information)