MORE than 60 days since she assumed office, City of Naga Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong delivered her first State of the City Address (Soca) yesterday.
In her Soca at the Enan Chiong Activity Center (ECAC), Chiong vowed to implement the programs and projects of her administration, including increasing the allowances of barangay workers and public school teachers.
Chiong said the increase of allowances for barangay workers will help in improving the delivery of services at the barangay level.
She said she recognized the role of the barangays in the development of the city, something which she learned from her father, former City of Naga Mayor Valdemar Chiong.
The older Chion instituted the giving of financial aid to the barangays for their projects.
Chiong also vowed to prioritize the city’s education programs, including increasing the budget and expanding their yearly scholarship program for poor college students.
During her father’s time, the City gave P20,000 stipend to each scholar who took up four-year courses.
Chiong said she plans to expand the program to include students who want to take five-year courses, such as engineering and accounting.
Scholars
“This will pave the way for our scholars becoming engineers, architects and accountants. We hope that by doing all of this, we help our youth excel in life and contribute to the good of society,” she said.
Around 500 students from the city are enjoying the scholarship program. The first 84 scholars graduated last March.
Chiong said she also wants to improve the delivery of basic services at City Hall by cutting the transaction time.
Chiong hopes the same fast delivery of services happen in the barangay level.
In terms of peace and order, Chiong boasted that the city’s police have been working hard in its anti-illegal drug campaign.
Chiong said she has seen the efforts of the local police, led by Supt. John Clark, in lessening the presence of illegal drug peddlers in the City.
Even though she urged the local police to continue with their operations against illegal drugs, Chiong urged the barangays to activate and revitalize their Barangay Anti-Illegal Drug Abuse Councils (Badac) to strengthen the fight against illegal drugs in the barangay level.
Chiong tasked her personnel to check the barangays about their implementation of the Badac.
Chiong said the City Government is working on a program for drug surrenderees.
In terms of health, Chiong said that within her term, she plans to put up a “one stop health facility” where all medical services, including laboratory examinations, are offered.
But Chiong said she plans to coordinate with the City’s private sector for their commitments in ensuring the one stop health facility’s sustainability.
