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Braganza thank P-Noy, Alaminians for city’s sound economy
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Eight years under Mayor Hernani A. Braganza’s watch, Alaminos has become not only the growth node in western Pangasinan but also as one of the fastest growing economies in Region I and home to many laudable programs and innovations in local governance, some of which are considered as the first in the country.
On city’s 11th charter day anniversary, the visionary and hardworking chief executive thanked the men and women who have done much to sustain the city’s economic growth and development.
“Today, there are so many things to be thankful about despite some bad news and wrong publicities swirling in the province these days, current problems and pressing concerns our country is faced with,” said Braganza in his speech during the Thanksgiving Party and Cityhood anniversary celebration.
“Our programs were recognized in the region and in the national level. We got grants and financial assistance from the national government and we remain as one of the most peaceful places in the province,” he added.
Braganza is referring to three awards given to the city by the Regional Development Council (RDC) and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) last month namely the Most Outstanding LGU Coastal Resource Management Implementer for CY 2011 under City Category, First Runner-Up for the Best Performing City in Region I based on the Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS) and 2nd Runner-Up in the 2011 Search for the Cleanest, Safest and Greenest City.
The mayor was even named by Rotary Club of Manila as one of its 10 Tourism Awardees for 2011. An honor he shared along with the top tourism personalities in the country today like businessmen Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Andrew Tan and Henry Chusuey.
He also thanked His Excellency President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III for the many assistance extended to the city that definitely helped cushion the impact of P43 M cut in the city’s IRA share this year brought about by the questionable conversion of 16 towns into cities.
These include the P31 M for the construction of Hundred Island E-kawayan Factory through the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corporation (PAGCOR) headed by Chairman Cristino Naguiat and President and COO Jorge Sarmiento and for the release of funds for the construction of the Alaminos Airport Development Project.
“Let me also thank my co-partners in the legislative department, our barangay officials who are the frontliners in the delivery of services to our constituents, our business sector, NGOs and most especially our city government employees, who despite of the limitations and hardships, we have grown leaps and bounds,” he stressed.
“Likewise, let me congratulate each and every Alaminian for the successful celebration of our Gali-La VIVA San Jose Festival of the Hundred Islands. That for the 8th time celebrating our festival, not a single petty crime has been recorded."
The mayor though was upset and saddened over the series of untoward incidents that happened after the city fiesta.
Calling it Bloody Tuesday, three killing incidents in Alaminos and one in Mabini have transpired.
But these are separate incidents with different motives and done by different perpetrators and not by a single group as greatly exaggerated in some reports and as posted social networking sites by unreliable sources.
Police reports earlier denied that the said incidents are acts of an organized crime groups and that the suspects were already identified.
Braganza then assured that there’s “no gun for hire” is circulating in the city and most of the cases were solve though the help of responsible and concerned Alaminians.
“There’s no such thing as riding in tandem in the city that are roving around, sowing fears and killing innocent Alaminians. We have proven that it does not and will not happen in Alaminos and we will not allow lawlessness from happening again here because we’ve already seen enough in the past,” he pointed out.
The mayor who was among those who were brave enough to fight and stop the criminal elements and help restore peace and order in the Alaminos in the early 90’s said that today, Alaminos is considered as one if not the most peaceful places not only in Pangasinan but in Region I.
The reason for this, he said, is simple “we always believe that “patay ang negosyo sa bayang magulo” (business will never thrive in any town or city if there is chaos and violence)."
“Kapag magulo ang Alaminos, maapektuhan po ang 3,000 businesses dito sa atin. And we’ve seen it before, marami ang nagsara at maraming kababayan natin ang nawalan ng negosyo at trabaho,” he continued.
“We have learned from that very sad experiences before and we, your elected officials including our barangay officials have made a promise and we are committed in making Alaminos a peaceful city."
"But we are not superman," Braganza noted. "The reason why we were able to resolve most of this problems and crimes is because Alaminians are now vigilant."
“There was a time when Alaminians are afraid to talk and file cases against criminal elements even if their family was the aggrieved party. That is not the situation now. With the help of our citymates, we boldly faced the problems and continue realizing our goals by implementing our programs and completing our projects that include the Alaminos City Hotel, the Medical Services Complex and PSU Alaminos as well as the air
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