By Ian John M. Lagare
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (24 February 2014) - Kalilangan 2014 opened with an elaborate musical production number depicting the city’s milestones and colorful fireworks making the event widely considered a success.
The opening program did not only aim to exhibit General Santos City's transition of culture but it also served as the stage to highlight the changes under the new administration.
In the night of Kalilangan's opening Friday (February 21), City Mayor Ronnel Rivera took the opportunity to relay to everyone, especially the foreign dignitaries and business community representatives present, the leap that the city government has made in bringing public service closer to the constituents of the city.
Mayor Rivera opened his speech by imposing that throughout the revelry he wants a "CLEAN GenSan" not only through the surroundings but also in the conduct and celebration of the residents.
Creating a Livable Environment for All Generals towards Nation building or commonly known as "CLEAN GenSan" is the flagship program of Mayor Rivera that advocates the improvements focused in education, health and modified social services.
According to Rivera, "CLEAN GenSan" started on education, upon welcoming the University of Sto. Tomas in General Santos City.
Then with the help of City Social Welfare and Development Office, the AKLAT (Alay sa Kabataang Generals Lahat ng Alaga at Talino) office and AKLAT-ECCDI (Alay sa Kabataang Generals Lahat ng Alaga at Talino-Early Childhood Care Development Initiative) have been launched to prepare the children to formal education.
On other areas, Rivera gave merits on the success of the City Engineers' Office together with the Department of Public Works and Highways on the illumination of primary and secondary lines of the city through the implementation of LED based streetlight, which costs around P100 million.
The City Housing and Land Management Office and City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) have also started "land banking", to which the city government is eyeing available land pieces for resettlements and relocation sites.
In Bawing, a land area waived by the Yalen Clan in favor of the local government of General Santos City is the first crop of the said land banking.
The revision of the city's Comprehensive Land Use Plan is also one of the pipeline goals of CPDO this year.
Things that have never been addressed in the past and achievements have earned respect for Rivera’s "troubleshooting" skills.
Mayor Rivera disclosed that General Santos City District Hospital has undergone a systems and financial audit to sort out the real causes of problems that have stifled the hospital for years.
Through the help of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), Rivera said that the overdue problems in the transport sector will slowly be given light.
As a start, the city mayor informed that there are already 690 tricycle franchises distributed to tricycle drivers and operators to lessen the number of illegal tricycles plying around and within the city.
Rivera did not also forget to address the peace and order issues in GenSan.
He ordered General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO) PSSupt. Froilan Quidilla and Joint Task Force GenSan Col. Rolando Bautista to give him "peace and order solutions" and he will help them in achieving it.
Prior to ending his speech, Rivera said that Kalilangan is a celebration of GenSan's progress and without the aforementioned improvements, Kalilangan 2014 will not be possible.
A grandiose fireworks display punctuated the night’s presentation. (GENSAN INFO OFFICE/Ian John M. Lagare)
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