Mayor Beng Climaco spearheads the preparation of the 2020-2022 Executive Legislative Agenda (ELA), a tool to implement the priority agenda of both branches of government based on the comprehensive land use plan Comprehensive Land and Urban Plan process as well as national policies.  

The ELA preparation is facilitated by Dr. Abelle Cajita, a consultant and former City Coordinator for the USAID-SURGE project together with Engr. Clarissa Rendon, Assist consultant USAID Protect Wildlife and National Resiliency Council Executive Director Marilou Erin and staff Marilou Sublido.

Climaco in her message to the members of the City Council, department heads and division chiefs and other key officials of the City Government outlined her priorities for implementation in her third term. Her flagship program remains the SHE program which stands for Security Health and Education to include urgent concerns on power, water, traffic and garbage among others.

The ELA will also be in line with the program policies of President Duterte as pronounced during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday.

Climaco sought everybody’s cooperation and support to her flagship programs with the aim of making Zamboanga City more progressive and resilient.

“Security remains our top priority,” she said stressing that she will push through with the completion of the Command and Data center in Cabatangan, strengthening of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and trainings of barangays on DRRM. The establishment of evacuation centers in Tulungatung (west), Ecozone (west), Cabatangan (central) and Masepla, Mampang (South), Vitali (east) and Curuan (east) will also be pursued.

Support to the security sector will continue as a new wave of vehicles and other equipment for police and military are forthcoming. The city is also adhering to President Duterte’s fire modernization program with the scheduled turnover of 10 fire trucks Monday.

The housing backlog of some 19,000 households will be addressed through land banking for housing and resettlement and its sustainable management with the completion of the Local Shelter Plan with necessary support from the City Council.

 Cleanliness and sanitation will be more sustained and efficient with the full implementation of the Integrated Solid Waste Management Ordinance and greater involvement of barangays and communities. Completion of the Sanitary Land Fill Cell 2 and 3 is underway and more transfer stations and additional material recovery facilities will be established. The Council is urged to approve the City’s environment code and the Zero Plastic Policy Ordinance.

For water security, the city will construct small impounding dams and other water supply system projects as well as put in place policies on rain water harvesting and establishment of waste water treatment facilities. In terms of power, new options and technologies on alternative energy in government structures and facilities and facilitate investments in sustainable power supply. An ordinance promoting the use of renewable energy to include solar powered systems, LED lights and green buildings in gov’t structures, street lights and the others is very crucial.

The mayor asked the Council to update the investment code, revenue code and real property tax system and make it sustainable, fair and progressive. The costs of doing business will be streamlined as well.

The city will support the Information, Communication and Technology roadmap as an emerging next wave city for ICT-BPO; strengthen its GIS applications along land uses, real property tax assessment, planning and budget management with information support and systems plan as the basis of phase implementation. The mayor sought the Council’s approval of a resolution looking into the potentials of the city as an ICT-business processing organizations investment center.

The mayor likewise enumerated her priorities in relation to the opening of new roads and widening critical strategic roads, review of the traffic code and modernization of the transport and traffic management system; health programs; education; livelihood and skills training programs; establishment of quarantine choke points in the city; good animal husbandry practices inclusive of agri-tourism incentives; social inclusion and people’s participation; establishment of children and senior citizen’s parks in every barangay; creation of youth development office and organization of youth development; implementation of PWD friendly structures and day care centers.

Climaco in the same message during the ELA preparation vowed to fight for the transfer of the BARMM and SPDA properties in Cabatangan in favour of the LGU as the city envisions to build a new Ctiy Hall.

The city will likewise remain persistent in its desire to return the Regional Center to Zamboanga and lobby for the transfer of the airport to Mercedes as the city develops its Planned City Extension in the east coast.

The development of investment and tourism plans and promotional activities of the city and organizing outbound sales mission and inbound familiarization tour, a tourism congress and creating more exhibits and trade missions are also among the priority along with the completion of the comprehensive land use plan, zoning and comprehensive development plan to further develop alternative growth centers in the eastern and western sections of the city, the mayor added.

The ELA is a unifying document corresponding to the term of local elective officials that is developed and mutually agreed upon by both the executive and legislative body of the local government unit (LGU). It is the prepared at the start of the new term of the elected officials. (Sheila Covarrubias)