Kalibo is stable, says mayor
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan – A stable Kalibo was how Mayor William Sucgang Lachica described this capital town of Aklan in his State of the Municipality Address (SOMA) on Thursday afternoon.

Lachica highlighted his administration’s salient accomplishments from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011 held at the 3rd Floor conference hall of the town’s building.

The mayor said he embraced the slogan during the political campaign in 2010, “Yes we CAN – Capable, Accountable and No Graft, No Corruption,” when he started out in his public service as Kalibo mayor.

In his nine-page SOMA, Lachica shared the achievements of the local government with Vice Mayor Madeleine Regalado, Sangguniang Bayan members, department heads and employees, tri-media and the stakeholders.

“True enough, here in Kalibo, our local government is undeniably strong and stable, which is attributable to its local leaders’ support and collaborative efforts of our people in the implementation of programs and projects,” Lachica said.

Among the gains of his administration include the passage of 199 resolutions and 20 ordinances in the legislative council as well as the strong partnership of government agencies and stakeholders in the implementation of programs and services in agriculture and food production, health, peace and order, livelihood, tourism, sanitary and environmental protection, disaster management, market operations and business.
Kalibo remains an attractive investment opportunity to potential investors with the existence of infrastructure support and facilities, Lachica stressed.
The town, he said, has an Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of P80.390 million from July to December 2010 and local revenue of P49.367 million.
Coupled with the infrastructure support and social services, Lachica also mentioned the accomplishments of the Municipal Economic Enterprise Development Office (MEEDO) and the Solid Waste Management Services.

He cited that the market division of MEEDO earned P6.501 million in the first six months of 2011 compared to P3.539 million collected from stall rentals from July to December last year. The local government also installed a packing house worth P900,000 in the Western Food and Transport Terminal for small entrepreneurs and a Material Recovery Facility in Barangay Bakhaw Sur.

To respond to the challenge of a transparent Kalibo Ati-Atihan festival, the mayor and the local government of Kalibo also designated the private sector-led Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-Atihan Foundation, Inc. (Kasafi) through a Memorandum of Agreement to manage the festival.

FUTURE PLANS
A new fire station building for P1-million near the Kalibo motorpool, Emergency Operations Center to the tune of P24 million and Eastern Side Food and Transport Terminal in Barangay Andagao for P18.808 million lot and project cost will also be put up by the local government to complement with his administration’s plans and programs.

Other infrastructures with funding support include the rehabilitation of the drainage outlet in Barangay Bakhaw Sur which is funded by Bayan Muna party list Rep. Teodoro Casino for P1 million and the repair of F. Quimpo and L. Barrios streets for P1.5 million from Kasangga party list Rep. Teodorico Haresco, Jr.

Lachica is confident the harmonious relationship and the multi-partnership and participatory governance of the barangay officials and the local government unit for a united and stable Kalibo are the keys to continuing public service to the constituents.