LAOAG CITY, Oct. 27 (PNA) — Due to her extraordinary leadership and initiatives in transforming Ilocos Norte in the past six years, Governor Imee R. Marcos is one of the recipients of this year’s Outstanding Governorship Awards.
Together with five other governors across the country, Governor Marcos, poised to finish her third and final term in office will receive the award on Wednesday at The City Club, Alpha Land Building, Makati City.
Now on its second year, the Outstanding Governorship Awards is conferred by Superbrands Marketing International Inc. (SMI) and recognizes the achievements of various governors, mayors, dignitaries, local legislators and congressmen in nation building.
Marcos, who took office in 2010 amid a crisis in Ilocos Norte brought about by poverty and unemployment, transformed the province into a transitional economy growing rapidly at 16.7 percent.
Harry Tambuatco, president and CEO of SMI, noted that Governor Marcos has been cited because of her “success and remarkable achievements as public servant (of our country).”
In her State of the Province Address in August, Marcos took pride with the remarkable developments of Ilocos Norte.
“We have done what we set out to do, exceeding poverty, employment, education, maternal health, and reforestation. From the alarming increase in poverty in 2010 (at 28 percent), poverty has now fallen to a record of 8.4 percent,” said Governor Marcos.
With this, llocos Norte is one of the few provinces to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) set by the United Nations Development Program this year.
In addition, the provincial government has also been cited as one of this year’s 10 Galing Pook Awardees for its flagship youth program “Sirib Express.”
The program was primarily created in 2013 to provide assistance to students, out-of-school youth and job-seeking graduates.
Tambuatco futher said that “we are proud to have you (Marcos) in our list of honorees and we hope you continue your sincere dedication and commitment in all your future endeavors.”
Meanwhile, Marcos thanked all Ilocanos for their continuous cooperation through upholding the unique Ilocano culture of ‘timpuyog’ or unity which has been the greatest instrument for the growth of the province.(PNA)