Dolfo presents key accomplishments

Two months before Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario presents his state of the province address (SOPA), he gave media people a sneak preview of his report card to the people.
Del Rosario highlighted some of his accomplishments in 2009 during the Kapihan sa Kapitolyo media forum last January 14 at the provincial media center. It was aired live over three local radio stations and its television segment was later aired on four television channels through the Sky Cable in Tagum City.
Achievements of the provincial government in terms of infrastructure development included P45 million worth of projects under the omnibus term loan fund that was allocated as follows: P5.7 million went to installations of water systems, P20 million to roads and bridges construction, P2.6 million to drainage systems and a P16.6 million for various public buildings.
These are apart from the continuing appropriations of the province worth P33.8 million from 2009, and a current appropriation worth P65 million. 
Gov. Del Rosario also cited the rapid completion of the Kapalong-Talaingod-Bukidnon road, which is expected to boost the socio-economic development of the province. 
Davao del Norte came up with a credit surety fund that widened the access of small cooperative borrowers to financial institutions by doing away with hard collaterals.
A total of 54,300 poor beneficiaries were enrolled in the Philhealth Para sa Masa program of the province, which is 59 percent bigger than the enrollment in 2008. The province invested about P28 million for the program.
The Province also succeeded in reducing malnutrition prevalence rate from 10 percent down to seven percent, earning numerous awards from the national government.
One hundred sixty-seven Botika ng Barangay were established to provide cheaper but quality medicinces to the poor. More botikas are set to open this year to cover all the 223 barangays of the province.
In trying to attain stable rice sufficiency, the province pulled off an average yield increase from 4.04 MT/ha in 2007 to 4.92 MT/ha in 2009.
Pursuant to the minimum basic needs (MBN) strategy, the province cumulatively dispersed 2,175 carabaos, cattles, and goats since 2000, valuing to almost P11 million. Of the 4,812 offsprings produced, 1102 were re-dispersed to more beneficiaries.
Last year, the province supported the establishment of some 38 hectares of rubber plantations. It has  also distributed almost 10,000 assorted seedlings of fruit trees, as well as hundreds of bags of vegetable seeds to develop some 84 hectares of vegetable farms.
The province further facilitated the establishment of several Bagsakan Centers in various LGUs so the farmers can have a ready market for their produce.
In response to the growing concern for global warming and climate change, the provincial government passed the Provincial Environment Code, which is now the bible in utilizing, conserving, and preserving its natural resources.
In 2009, a total of 15 hectares of tree plantations were established. Another 30 hectares were devoted to rubber tree as support to watershed protection thrust.
The eco-tourism potentials of the province was consistently harnessed by organizing communities to help in the protection, preservation and development  of natural landmarks.
Minimizing the hard impact of the 2008 crisis, the province extended hunger-mitigating assistance to some 2,100 families in Talaingod through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
Over-all, the provincial government extended short-term assistance to 20,000 individuals last year, for disaster relief, transportation assistance, food assistance, medical assistance and burial assistance.
Other marginalized sub-sectors, like the youth and children, senior citizens, solo parents, and differently-abled individuals received sustained care through direct financial assistance to their organization, or through organized social gatherings meant to put them back into mainstream of society.
Keeping watch over the constant threat of terrorism and criminality the province strengthened the barangay auxiliary forces by giving them uniforms and batons in recognition of their crucial role as community police force.
Around a thousand couples and thousands more children benefitted from the series of “Kasalan ng Bayan”  and “Binyagan ng Bayan” events sponsored by the province, which legitimized the bonds between unwed couples and their children. 
Del Rosario’s 2010 SOPA will be delivered in March this year.