LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Governor Ramon “Mon-Mon” V. Guico III opened the week with an inspiring message during the flag-raising ceremony held at the Capitol Grounds on October 13, underscoring the importance of perseverance as the Provincial Government continues to pursue progress for Pangasinan.
Focusing on the Value Focus of the Week which is ‘Perseverance,’ Governor Guico said that proper planning and proactive action serves as the foundation of good governance. The governor also discussed several key issues and ongoing development initiatives of the Provincial Government.
Stating that the persistent problem of flooding has affected various areas of Pangasinan including the eastern part which is not traditionally prone to it, the Provincial Government was prompt in taking action by establishing the Flood Management Office which is a dedicated body tasked to study the causes of flooding, source appropriate funding, and plan and implement infrastructure projects to mitigate its impact.
“Hopefully, through these initiatives, ay ma-resolba natin ‘yung problema ng pagbabaha sa ilan po nating lugar. Kasi recently, maski sa Eastern part of Pangasinan na hindi naman dati binabaha—ay binabaha na ngayon. So we have to study that, we have to find out the root cause of the problem,” the provincial chief executive said.
Likewise, he also stressed the growing traffic and crowd management issues in Manaoag which is one of the province’s most visited places and home to the iconic Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag. To improve traffic flow, two classrooms had to be demolished to make way for a new road. However, Governor Guico assured that education remains a top priority, as the Provincial Government plans to construct 30 additional classrooms, ensuring that development and education advance together without compromise.
Furthermore, Governor Guico discussed the ongoing development of the Capitol Complex, emphasizing that every project is carefully planned not only for the community’s convenience and accessibility but also to attract tourists and local businesses to Lingayen. He mentioned that while 192 trees had to be removed as part of the redevelopment project, hundreds more were planted to replace them under the Green Canopy Program, which has already planted over 500,000 trees across Pangasinan which he said, is a clear manifestation to the province’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
The Governor also highlighted the continued prioritization of healthcare, as he stated, “More than anything else, we have to give importance to healthcare. That is why we are building more health facilities.”
As such, construction and upgrading of hospitals and health centers throughout the province continuously being undertaken to make quality medical services more accessible to the more than 3.1 million Pangasinense.
In closing, Governor Guico encouraged provincial employees and all Pangasinenses to embrace perseverance, plan with purpose, and work together as one team toward a more progressive and resilient Pangasinan.
(Trisha Gayle Chavaria|RFR, photo by Orlan Llemos | PIMRO)
