Embracing digitization and sustainability are the two primary trends among societies that aim to progress constructively in the modern world. Like its foreign counterparts, each city in the Philippines has visionary leaders who serve as beacons of hope for the future.
For Koronadal City in South Cotabato, the responsibility falls on the shoulders of Mayor Eliordo U. Ogena.
Ogena became the city’s executive in 2019 and has since implemented his plans for Koronadal. As a native, he knew Koronadal by heart and established a rapport with its people. Before assuming the position of mayor, Ogena also served as Vice Mayor for three terms and as Vice Governor before ending his stint in 2010. He was also a former Provincial Board Member from 1995 to 2001.
As mayor, Ogena spearheaded a 10-point Development Agenda to develop and empower the people for a “Bagong Koronadal.”
His agenda includes environmental preservation and sustainability, championing the youth and education, and having a compassionate approach toward health-related services, among other points. Yet his plans for the city don’t end there.
During his second State of the City Address (SOCA) held at the South Cotabato Gymnasium and Cultural Center last August 15, the mayor emphasized Koronadal’s journey to becoming a modern, green city in the SOCCSKSARGEN region.
One of the sectors that Ogena has focused on since day one is infrastructure projects, as he believes it’s a way of saying and demonstrating that the city is ready for big things and welcomes the public to share in its growth.
From 2022 to the 1st quarter of 2023, 594.6 million went to infrastructure projects, such as installing traffic lights, streetlights, and flood control projects, among other initiatives.
The Koronadal mayor also proudly reported progress in the local economy, with an additional 1,200 businesses registered from 2022 to 2023, where the city government colleßcted a total revenue of more than P333 million as of the second quarter of 2023.
“It is now evident that we are becoming one of the thriving business centers in the region. With the efforts of all functioning departments involved, I am proud to say that our city now ranks as the 3rd Most Resilient Component City during the 10th Cities & Municipalities Competitiveness Summit. We were also awarded 3rd Place as the Philippines’s Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit in the Component Cities Category by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry,” Ogena proudly announced.
Seeing as Koronadal is SOCCSKSARGEN’s regional center, Ogena also vowed to connect the city with the world, believing it has the opportunity to become a smart city and tech hub with the right components.
Within the next few months, Phase 1 of the Koronadal Starlink Project will install Starlink across 27 barangays, including the public market, terminal, and Rizal Park, to empower every barangay and empower lives through faster and more efficient access to public services, online jobs, healthcare, education, information, and more.
He further revealed the local government of Koronadal allotted P500,000 for Phase I of the Starlink Project, providing free internet connectivity, especially to underserved and remote areas.
These are only some aspects that Ogena highlighted during his SOCA, but he promised more efforts according to his 10-point agenda.
“Our acceleration to progress and development is unstoppable. Tuloy-tuloy tayo hanggang makamit natin ang lahat ng ito. I want my successors to proudly continue the legacy I will leave behind and carry on the vision of empowering this small city with big dreams; isang siyudad na kayang ipagmalaki ng bawat Koronadaleño,” Ogena said.
Koronadal residents witness how their mayor leads them toward a progressive and modern future, or a “Bagong Koronadal,” that embraces all its aspects without compromising the integrity and his passion for serving the public.