2 songs inspire mayor to change town’s sleepy image

The immortal song Smile by the late Nat King Cole must have came into the senses of Mayor Roberto Salinas when he coined the word S.M.I.L .E. with a T.A., this time, to emphasize the policy direction he would like to push when he was thrust as Catigbian mayor in 2004. How would the second line of the famous song “though your heart is aching” fit into the picture if the song inspired Mayor Salinas to use it as his administration mantra? In a check with Mayor Salinas, all he did was give the Post the authority to paraphrase the line into “smile after your heart is aching”. The aching heart may be traced to the feeling of the people of Catigbian before he became mayor. As everybody knows even now, Catigbian was full of aching hearts before Bertsal, the mayor’s favorite nickname, became town executive.

Poverty was at its lowest ebb, peace and order was synonymous to being a hotbed of homegrown insurgency, literacy level is beyond recognition, health services were virtually unknown and anything that connoted a place as if ruled by children of lesser gods as a result of government neglect was what Catigbian in the 70’s,80s,90’s and early 2000. That Catigbian was best described as sleepy then was never an understatement. Then like a knight in shining armor out to save a lady in distress, Bertsal strode down the bumpy road of the obscure town and mapped out strategies how to make things happen to conquer above all the sleepy characteristic of the town. He succeeded in transforming the sleepy settlement into an emerging economy that in no time becoming the envy of its neighbors. There’s also another all-time favorite sang by the Bee Gees which Bertsal agrees that it also fits the scenario of Catigbian being a poor community after the transformation of its physical landscape by the innovation of Mayor Salinas.

Speaking of aching hearts the song How Can You Mend a Broken Heart is also a reminder that it needs the caliber of Salinas how to mend the broken hearts of the people when mired in poverty. With poverty, it can be said that everything emanates from it—from health, education, livelihood, good governance, peace and order, the underlying problems that LGUs are trying to lick. And lick he did all these problems that engulfed the town then. With the song of the Bee Gees, Mayor Salinas wafted its melody the way he recalled how Catigbian fared when he was a young boy: The opening line of the song thus say: I can think of younger days when living for my life/Was everything a man could want to do/I could never see tomorrow/But I was never told about the sorrow. And how can you mend a broken heart… So much of songs that inspire Mayor Salinas to rule Catigbian. It ‘s enough that for the people of Catigbian, SMILE TA becomes a household entreaty that it speaks of volumes when visitors come avisiting to see for themselves how the town has progressed through the years as evidenced from landmarks that dot the town since Salinas became mayor in 2004.

SMILE TA, WHAT IT”S ALL ABOUT

The different programs and activities in line with the new platforms of governance of Catigbian is summarized under SMILE TA. Although it had been in existence since Mayor Salinas took office, the slogan is updated from to time to give the people a running summary of what the LGU is doing in pursuit of its policy direction. The following are the update of SMILE TA:

SPORTS & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Participation of the Tribu Dagook representing the Municipality of Catigbian that grabbed 2 nd Place during the Sandugo Streetdancing 2011 competition involving students from the six secondary schools of the town ( four public & two private high schools) and participation of the Miss Bohol Sandugo 2011 where Miss Catigbian got the 2 nd runners up. Actual training and procurement of different sports equipment that enhances the skills of every athletes in the sporting events like swimming, taekwondo, arnis, archery, soccer football, athletics, table tennis, lawn tennis, volleyball, badminton and vocal solo. Proper implementation of the Municipal Sports Program yielded positive results, over-all champion of the First Congressional Athletic Meet for two successive years that brought 101 athletes to the recent Provincial Meet. A big number of 31 athletes vied for the CVIRRA Meet which initially garnered one bronze award for lawn tennis double, one silver award for lawn tennis single A, two gold award for arnis and a gold for the vocal solo. LGU allocated more or less P 500,000.00 for strengthening the sports program and activities of the municipality.

MOBILITY

Acquisition of a 4x4 vehicle(Montero) as official vehicle of the Local Chief Executive as well as the purchase of 4- wheel drive tractor with barrow and plow as additional farm equipment for farmers. Purchase of additional motorcycles for the different offices of the LGU to ensure effective and efficient service to constituents. Continuous maintenance of the current mobility units.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Renovation of flagpole and Rizal monument in compliance with the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines otherwise known as RA 8491 that positions out the Philippine Flag in a permanent place with height that gives the flag the commanding position to the municipal buildings and other public buildings in the vicinity. Construction of the new SB Session Hall, conceded as one of a kind in Bohol-- fully spaced and carpeted with air-conditioned and audio sound system installed. Construction of billeting quarters for visitors with air-conditioned rooms funded under the 20% development fund amounting to P100,000.00 and the construction of a public toilet implemented by the DPWH that complied with the Handicapped Persons Safety and Health Program. Rehabilitation and concreting of 3.2 km Poblacion Weste – Sinakayanan – Ambuan Road under the Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project III involving 21M cost. This project aims to improve the passability of farm- to- market road that will encourage farmers to produce more crops, reduce damage of farm products and lesser transport cost to market. Poblacion – Poblacion Weste Farm to Market Road concreting with P4-M cost under the local funds and a counterpart project of ARISP III. Improvement of the Catigbian Sports and Cultural Complex amounting to P510,596.54 from the supplemental budget fund. A venue for socio-cultural and sports activities that will develop young generation and preserve cultural heritage. Construction of the Municipal Archive for preservation and safe keeping of vital documents with a project cost of P300,000.00 under the local funds.

L IVELIHOOD & Health

As one of the recipient municipalities of the Skills Training Advocating Reliance on Self-employment (STARS), skills training are initiated in partnership with Provincial Government and other non-government organizations, that aim to capacitate out-of-school youth and jobless individuals, the skills that are necessary for livelihood advancement. Training on manicure/pedicure, hair styling/cutting, therapeutic massage, household service, tour guiding and enhancement training on basket waving and raffia production were conducted with 167 participants completed the skills training. P10-M Waterworks System Project under DOH that will serve the seven far flung and waterless barangays of Mahayag Norte, Mahayag Sur, Hagbuaya, Bagtic, Liboron, Cambailan and Triple Union is presently implemented by the winning bidder. Implementation of Socialized User’s Fee imposing fees on health services based on Municipal Ordinance No. 6 CY 2010. Yellow Card Program where indigents are categorized into Category A ( 100% free health services including medicines) and Category B (50% free health services and medicines) ensures that health services are delivered effectively to the needy. As of this date, a total 1,296 yellow card holders are being serviced in which 429 belongs to Category A and 867 to Category B. Furthermore this program aims to sustain the quality delivery of health services and likewise help educate and aware everybody the responsibility to take care of one’s health. Recipient of the Department of Health – Rural Health Team Placement Program (DOH_RHTPP) deploying 1 Dentist and RN HILLS Program for the 2 nurses for Catigbian Health Center.

EDUCATION

The Municipal Scholarship Program that aims to help the poor but deserving students to pursue tertiary education providing financial assistance of P10,000.00 for bachelor’s degree and P 5,000.00 for 2-year course. Presently, there are 41 scholars enjoying the program. Consequently the program produced 1 CPA and 2 Engineers. Special Program for the Employment of Students(SPES) during summer vacation is also in place. Sixty eight (68) students availed the program, 14 students were fully funded by the LGU and the 54 students were both funded LGU and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) with 60% and 40% sharing respectively. Hardbound books from Children International Philippines Inc. were distributed to all elementary, high schools and the tertiary school both in public and private institution amounting to P 700,000.00. Thirty three computers from DTI given to public secondary schools where LGU allocated funds for the improvement of computer rooms through electrical installation and provided 2 air- conditioning units for Haguilanan and Hagbuaya High Schools respectively.

T OURISM

Development of the Abatan River Upstream Eco-Adventure, a flagpole project of Bohol Convergence Support Initiative (BOCSI). Two carabao driven carts are acquired to transport enthusiast from embarking entrance area to the satellite pavilion and enjoy nature thru trekking on the way to Dagook Falls. On-going construction of Eco-Adventure Course and Tourist Infrastructure facilities within the area which can be launched hopefully by the end of December 2010 such as: Monkey Bridge, Canopy Walk and Mountian Slide. Another facilities that can be enjoyed by the tourist enthusiast soon will be the Via Pirata and many more. To add the attraction 5 horses are also acquired for horseback riding from the coffers of the Department of Tourism(DOT). Comfortable rest rooms amounting to P 440,000.00 is also available for public use within the vicinity.

AGRICULTURE

The establishment of the Municipal Demonstration Farm nestled in a 3.2 hectares of land owned by the LGU where it offers “pick and pay” of the variety of vegetables to visiting groups of Lakbay Aral as well as its constituents. The fruit bearing tree planting program that is supported by a municipal ordinance requiring all graduating elementary and secondary students to plant at least 5 fruit bearing trees as pre-requisite for graduation. To date, a total of 24,062 variety of fruit tree seedlings were distributed and planted in line for this program. Acquisition of the heavy duty tractor with a new dozer added that cost P260,000.00 which is maintained thru the Office of the Municipal Agriculture who implement the scheme “PLOW NOW PAY LATER “ program in which the Catigbianons can avail of the scheme to cultivate their farms thru the use of the tractor and pay the amount due for the service rendered after the harvest of the crops.

Continuous livestock upgrading and dispersal that cater artificial insemination services, animal health care services and vaccines to livestock raisers. Intensify the rice hybridization program and extends support in the procurement of rice seeds and the Farmers Information Technology System (FITS) that provides new farming technologies. The LAMP 2 project that gives access to easy land titling at a minimal cost and has distributed a total of 201 land titles as of this date. As an aside, SMILE TA is also taken literally in relation to how government officials and employees deal with any stranger , constituent, visitors and to all those who make transactions with the LGU. With the saying, you can’t please everybody, so there are instances when the official or employee will say no. Saying no may be offensive (especially to those who can’t take no for an answer) but it can be pleasing to the ears of those who fail to get their way. In the case of Catigbian the standard repartee when there’s no way to get what you want, it is: say no with a SMILE.