The hopes and aspirations of the people for a better Caloocan have been cast in the last polls. More than 302,000 strong. Let us now pool together our talents and strength to work for our brighter future.
Never have been in the history of Caloocan that so many projects were accomplished in such a short period of time. Three years. New 6-storey, 45 classroom building of the University of Caloocan City (UCC) North, and a new twin building at UCC-South; new Social Development Center Building, new Caloocan City North Medical Center, new amphitheater, new Nature Park, new Buena Park Sports Complex, 84 kms of lighted streets, new roads and drainage systems, new First Responders Building, new fire station, new “Burulan ng Bayan,” several new barangay halls, day care centers and health centers, dialysis center, physical theraphy center.
Our great leap in providing social services has recorded more than 1.5-million services, medicines and equipment were accorded to the people; more than 200,000 patients were treated at the Caloocan City Medical Center (CCMC); more than 18,000 college students are enjoying free tuition fees at UCC; more than 80,000 were employed thru the city government’s labor placement mechanisms; more than 700,000 children were immunized; more than 7,000 new businesses opened shop in the city; more than 160,000 elementary pupils received their free bags and school supplies; and more than 70,000 senior citizens received their free wheelchairs, crutches, canes, eyeglasses, cataract operation and grocery packs.
But where are we now? Three more mega projects are now fast rising and are now in its final stage of construction: the new 8-storey city hall; new commercial center; and a new domed sports complex.
The National Competitiveness Council has placed Caloocan City among the 145 cities nationwide, as the top placer in investments promotions and availability of utilities. Second fastest growing local economy and also second in the efficiency of road networks. Caloocan is also the third city with the lowest cost of living, and the fifth largest local economy in the country.
Where are we headed to? We have prioritized our efforts in my second term of office on, jobs generation, economic growth, maintaining peace and order, enhancing our services and facilities for education and health, and building more infrastructure facilities for the people, through good governance.
You will witness in my first 100 days the procurement of lands for the establishment of the new Caloocan Drug Rehabilitation Center, new People’s Park, new Convention Center, new City jail, new Police Community Precinct in Caybiga, new Senior High School Buildings in several public schools, new UCC Graduate School Building, new City Library in the north, new shelter for abandoned girls, new shelter for the abandoned elders and a new senior citizens’ activity center with a salon and spa.
Furthermore, we will have the CCMC upgraded into a secondary level hospital, we will establish a new eye center, we will procure new ambulances and firetrucks, we will build a new columbarium and crematorium, a new fire station in Bagong Silang, and new day care centers and VocTech building.
We will continue our efforts toward economic leap-frogging, such as the creation of the Caloocan City Investments and Business Promotions Council, the establishment of the Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS), a new and modern public market in Bagong Silang and Langaray, a new slaughterhouse in the north, putting up of several business permit kiosks or ATMs in malls, the establishment of new food strips or food hubs in Bagumbong and Grace Park, a new Chinatown and a new food terminal or “bagsakan” center.
These are just some of the identified projects and we have more in the pipeline such as new connecting roads, new heavy construction machineries, flood control projects, integrated transport terminals, air quality monitoring stations, electric trikes and e-jeepneys, landscaped center islands and pocket gardens along sidewalks, bicycle lanes and more.
Three fruitful years of fast-paced development… six more productive years of fully achieving our dreams of a new and progressive Caloocan City. http://www.caloocancity.gov.ph/