LUCENA CITY, Quezon – Gov. Helen Tan revealed her accomplishments in her first year as provincial chief executive during her “Ulat sa Lalawigan” (Report to the Province) on Monday, July 31.
Tan said that although there is still much to be done in fighting poverty, the provincial government under her leadership was able to make significant headway in the delivery of meaningful and sustainable services, particularly in terms of health, education, agriculture, livelihood, infrastructure, nature and environment/tourism, and good governance or her Healing agenda.
She said that the Quezon Medical Center (QMC) in Lucena City is now in the middle of massive physical renovation and management improvement.
Tan said that the QMC is now enjoying public confidence through its delivery of improved services. QMC was also able to bring down to 400 what used to be a 600 average occupancy for the hospital which only has a 200 authorized bed capacity.
She also highlighted the implementation of PhilHealth’s Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama or Konsulta Package in Quezon as one of the five pilot local government units where the public can access preventive care services, including free medicines and laboratory tests for out-patient consultations.
As part of her continuing advocacy for the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act which she authored when she was a member of Congress, Tan reported that she has signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) together with all the city and municipal local chief executives along with the Department of Health (DOH) for the implementation of the Province-Wide Health System Integration that is considered as the first in the country.
“With a provincial government that is deep in debt and with very little financial resources, not much can be done. But I am happy to report that we have done so much,” Tan said.
Also part of her accomplishments were the implementation of the One Family, One College Graduate Scholarship Program and Priority Courses Scholarship and Return Service Program, formation of 31 cooperatives for the coconut farmers in line with the Coconut Farmers Industry Development Program, and various infrastructure projects.
She underscored the observance of best managerial practices, good financial housekeeping, and prudent use of funds under her leadership that paved the way for the Provincial Government to get the highest audit rating from the Commission on Audit (COA) or the “unmodified opinion” for the first time, a coveted mark from the country’s supreme auditing arm as it indicates a culture of clean financial governance.
Tan vowed her best to deliver on her Healing agenda in the remaining two years of her term.