CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Aug. 6 (PNA) -– Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano delivered his first State of the Province Address earlier today, Wednesday and reported the transition of the provincial government’s financial standing from being “bankrupt” to strong.
“I assumed office with P1.2 billion deficit, P118 million worth of transactions without cash backup and only P500,000 in general funds,” Emano said.
“Today, because of prudent expenditures and better financial management, I am proud to claim that the province of Misamis Oriental has risen from bankruptcy to solid financial standing with over P300 million in general funds in banks,” the governor said in Cebuano, much to the applause of the constituents who have come from all over the 3,300 square-kilometer province including village officials.
Along that line, Emano thanked Vice Governor Jose Mari Pelaez and the rest of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) members who have authorized him in behalf of the provincial government to transact financially with other institutions.
Through an executive order, Emano has also cut back expenses to only 70 percent and imposed a diligent collection of taxes.
This has since been translated to savings which Emano immediately prioritized to pay for obligations left behind by the administration of then Governor Oscar Moreno, now Cagayan de Oro City mayor.
These payables included obligations to PhilHealth, Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Pag-IBIG Fund, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), local banks, even the provincial employees’ cooperative as well as a food caterer and many more.
Emano proudly reported in his SOPA that all PhilHealth, GSIS and Pag-IBIG remittances are now updated with no delinquencies.
Beyond being a debt-free local government unit (LGU), the Misamis Oriental provincial government has likewise released salary increases, productivity incentives and clothing allowances to its employees both in 2013 and 2014.
In his three-hour speech, the governor also enumerated all the accomplishments under his eight-pillar program – infrastructure, health, education, environment, agriculture, transportation, cooperative and peace and order.
One of his landmark programs is Misamis Oriental Care System (MisOr CareS) which is patterned after the Obamacare in the United States.
In MisOr CareS, residents certified by the village chiefs and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office as poor will receive free health services from all the eight hospitals run by the provincial government. (PNA)