BRINGING in of infrastructure projects, relevant and proactive programs, and responsive and useful pieces of legislation that will take the metropolis into the next level and make it greater than ever for Ilonggos, their children and their children’s children is what will keep the first lady representative of the lone district of Iloilo City very busy as she assumes office.
Rep. Julienne “Jam-Jam” Baronda told the guests in Friday’s oath-taking ceremony of Team Gugma, Uswag, Arriva at the Iloilo Convention Center that she went to Manila a few days after being proclaimed winner “not to while away and get a much-needed rest, but to make representation with the government agencies that could help us and give us projects to realize our ultimate dream of making the lives of the Ilonggos and the lives of our children a lot better.
Baronda said in her inaugural speech that the Department of Transportation has already delivered a cold storage facility almost two weeks ago which will be installed in the Iloilo Fish Port Complex. DOTr Secretary Art Tugade also gave 20 electric tricycles or e-trikes which will be distributed to barangays in the outskirts of the city. Within two years, the DOTr will fix and modernize the Iloilo International Port in Loboc, while a new Causeway will be built in Ortiz Wharf.
Sec. Tugade, she added, will work with her office for the Comprehensive Transport Management System that will ease up traffic on land, sea and air in this part of the country.
Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar also vowed to help in addressing concerns about the public markets and drainage. “We will rehabilitate our public markets and make these into like that of SM Supermarket. We will also come up with a Comprehensive Drainage Masterplan for the city wherein all barangays are included. We will include all 180 barangays so that the floodwater from one barangay can pass through to the next barangay until the floodwater ends up in the river and the sea.”
Baronda also reported that she had an agreement with DPWH District Engineer Rodney Gustilo to hold consultation meetings or Pulong-Pulong in the barangays or cluster of barangays so that the infrastructure projects that will be included in the annual budget are those that are most needed by the residents. “This community-driven participatory governance practice will be done starting next month after we assume office,” she announced.
The neophyte House member further reported that Sec. Eduardo Año of the Department of the Interior and Local Government assured her that he will give fire trucks and patrol cars to Iloilo City. DILG will also provide funds for three new police stations with her office will counterpart with a lot for these. She eyes putting up stations in Jaro, in Lapaz or Lapuz, and then in either Molo or Arevalo. “We will also train the youth in the barangays to become the first line of defense during fire incidents because I don’t want a repeat of that recent fire where a four-year-old kid died,” she added.
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will give more scholarship opportunities to Iloilo City too.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology will also power up the planned 24-7 Public Library with Internet connection and other digital and online infrastructure. D-I-C-T will also pilot test a big project here in Iloilo City, Baronda reported.
Secretary Francisco Duque of the Department of Health will help with the increase in the bed capacity of Western Visayas Medical Center from 492 to 700 beds. He will also give 10 dialysis machines to the West Visayas State University Medical Center. He will also help us with the planned Iloilo City People’s Hospital.
Baronda also reported that she met with President Duterte in Japan where she asked him to help the Ilonggos through a special economic zone. He told her to see him in the Palace where they can discuss it further. So she is optimistic that the president will approve it.
She also met with the Philippine Reclamation Authority head, Atty. Janilo Rubiato, Cagayan Ecozone and Freeport head Atty Raul Lambino, Zamboanga Economic Zone and Freeport administrator Christopher Lawrence Arnuco, and Bases Conversion and Development Authority president Vince Dizon, and all of them assured her of their help to make her planned economic zone and freeport come true. “This ecozone and freeport will mean jobs, jobs and jobs for you my dear Ilonggo people!” she said.
She vowed to work on having the Iloilo City Senior Citizens’ Center, the 24-hour Public Library, the Iloilo City Sports Academy, the Iloilo City People’s Condominium and other projects.
Baronda also vowed to push for laws that will be beneficial to the people. She wants a law to declare an area as Iloilo City Special Economic Zone and Freeport, a law increasing the hospital bed capacity of Western Visayas Medical Center to 700 beds, and the amendment to the Senior Citizen’s Act to include a provision on the putting up of Senior Citizen’s Center which will offer day-care therapy sessions, expert geriatric care, and hospice and palliative care to abandoned and neglected elderlies.
She will work hard on having a law that will create the Iloilo City People’s Hospital, the amendment of the Magna Carta for Barangay Health Workers to set a higher honoraria rate for the BHWs, and will push for the Magna Carta for Barangay Tanods.
Baronda will re-file bills already filed by former Cong. And now Mayor Jerry Treñas such as converting some streets into national roads, inclusion of Arevalo Plaza in the Iloilo City Heritage Zone law, and the conversion of Nabisatan Elementary School into an integrated school.
“At the end of the day, when you stare at the ceiling of your room, it is not yourself whom you think of but what good you can give to your children. What future can you give to your Toto and Inday. And that is exactly what I have in my mind and in my heart for our city and you my dear people,” Baronda said.
Supreme Court Justice Francis Jardeleza, who is from Jaro District, officiated the oath-taking of all Team Gugma, Uswag, Arriva officials led by Baronda, Treñas, and Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon.
Councilors Love-Love Baronda, Jay Treñas, Ely Estante, Rudolph Ganzon, Jojo Javellana, Rommel Duron, Alan Zaldivar also took their oath.
Business leaders witnessed the occasion such as Jose Sio, Enrique Razon, Henry Chuseuy, Rogelio Florete, Ferdinand Sia, and many others. Other local officials, barangay officials and Ilonggos of all colors and sizes witnessed the historic moment as the first congresswoman took her oath of office.
Baronda’s daughter Jelana Dee, her parents Dr. Urminico and Dra. Julie, and her siblings were with her when she took her oath of office./PN
Very glad PANAY NEWS going more online, most critically needful for Ilonggos abroad.
May you thrive long with struggle in true journal/media professionalism so important to spiritual-moral, economic and progressive political growth for our sector of the country.