BATANGAS CITY: Governor Hermilando Mandanas said Thursday he is hoping to hear development projects for the province, as part of the “Bagong Pilipinas” campaign, prioritized when President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delivers his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
‘It is very important that we really listen to what the President has to say as he gives more details of the ‘Bagong Pilipinas.’ We hope that the true spirit of unity that has been the promise of our President will be given more life this year,’ he told the Philippine News Agency.
Mandanas said he is also expecting that the ongoing construction of a fish port in the province will be part of the priority programs of the administration this year.
Mandanas, who chairs the Calabarzon Regional Development Council, said the province enjoys a strategic geographical advantage to directly benefit fishermen, consumers, and other stakeholders in the food industry.
‘This will be a great opportunity to strengthen the economy and provide job oppo
rtunities not only in Batangas, but also in other port areas in the country,’ he said.
Meanwhile, the governor said among the fulfilled promises of President Marcos in last year’s SONA include the national government’s support in healthcare and agricultural programs.
He expressed his gratitude to First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos who is the main proponent of the “LAB for All” project where mobile clinics are distributed as part of providing free primary healthcare services to communities across the country.
The province of Batangas was among the 16 provinces in Calabarzon and Bicol Region that received the Bagong Pilipinas mobile clinic in a turnover ceremony on July 17 in Tagaytay City.
Mandanas also thanked President Marcos for his consistent efforts in assisting Batangas farmers and fishermen affected by the El Niño phenomenon.
He said that last week, a total of PHP70 million worth of agricultural inputs, machinery, and cash aid were distributed to 1,000 farmers and fisherfolk in Batangas.
These efforts
, he added, have changed the way Filipinos view the government, which is the goal of the Bagong Pilipinas movement.
Source: Philippines News agency
