DUMAGUETE CITY, Sept. 9 (PNA) — Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas has urged members of the the newly formed Partido Negorense headed by Negros Oriental Governor Roel Ragay Degamo to stay true to “daang matuwid”, to the noble cause of serving the people and to the local party’s goals of defending the dreams and aspirations of every Negorense and every Filipino.
Sec. Roxas may have missed the launching of Partido Negorense at the Lamberto Macias Sports Complex in Negros Oriental this past weekend but he sent Rep. Mel Sarmiento, the Liberal Party secretary general, to read his message to the Negrenses.
Roxas stressed the greater challenge of “Daang Matuwid” (straight path) is going to come and that the benefit of that transformation will be experienced by the children and their children’s children.
He welcomed Gov. Degamo and the more than 10,000 people who graced and witnessed the launching of Partido Negorense. He thanked them for joining him in the quest for good local governance, Negros Oriental being a recipient of the award by DILG.
Sec. Roxas cited the gains of the administration during the past years under the Daang Matuwid program of the administration of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, one of which is the unity that has allowed the creation of the Negros Island region.
The DILG secretary, in his message, said that “we must not rest on our laurels, we must change to further improve the system and focus on what matters which are the interest and welfare of the people. Daang Matuwid is successful but there is still much more to be done”, he pointed out.
Among the programs and projects mentioned by Sec. Roxas in his speech included the help to 7,842 families under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), expansion of the Philhealth coverage to 1,286,303 million beneficiaries in Negros Oriental, provision of clean water under the Salin Tubig program for waterless areas, empowered communities under the Bottom Up Budgeting (BUB) and recognition of local government units through the seal of good local governance.
In the province, two cities are awardees in the city category, namely, Dumaguete and Bais, while four municipalities under the municipal category, namely, Mabinay, Sibulan, San Jose, and Zamboanguita including the province of Negros Oriental.
Roxas further stressed all the promises, the potentials and the momentum at hand will be for nothing should the people choose to stay away from Daang Matuwid.
He said 2016 is fast approaching and once more the people will be asked to make a choice to pass judgment or whether to continue the gains of the program.
In choosing the path, Sec. Roxas said he understands the difficulties he will face but also understood that he is going to fight a fight that may call on him to give everything that he has, calling this a fight worth fighting for and for every Filipino to take upon himself for his future, and the future of his children’s children.
Meanwhile, Gov. Degamo was overwhelmed over the success of the party launching, saying no amount of rain was able to prevent Negrenses from all walks of life from witnessing the event on Saturday.
He emphasized that Partido Negorense is open to everybody who has the heart and the willingness to serve the people, with transparency and good governance as their guide.
Degamo reiterated his call for Negrenses to support Roxas in his bid for the presidency next year. (PNA)