State of the Province Address (SOPA) by Governor Miguel Rene A. Dominguez

(As delivered during the 5th Regular Session of the 5th Sangguniang Panlalawigan on February 5, 2007, Capitol Gym, Sarangani Province.)

Good morning to all, please take your seats. I would like to greet first and foremost our beautiful Vice Governor Bridget Chiongbian-Huang, Board Members Hon. Rommel Tomas Falgui, Hon. Victor James Yap, Hon. Eunice Santos, Hon. Benedicto “Ding-ding” Ruiz, Hon. Pyang Singcoy, Hon. Napoleon “Nap” Alaba, Hon. Rolando “Popo” Octavio, Hon. Arturo “Art” Lawa, Hon. Limuel “Lim” Gacula, Hon. Umbra Macagcalat, Hon. Cornelio “Bobot” Martinez, Hon. Hanafi “Ping” Ibrahim, Hon. Niquee Yap, Mayors, Mayor Enrique Yap coming from Glan, Hon. Alfonso Singcoy from Malapatan, Hon. Narciso Grafilo from Alabel, Hon. Teody Padernilla from Malungon, Hon. Anecito “Jojo” Lopez from Maasim and Hon. Ambong Reganit from Maitum.

I would also like to acknowledge former governor Atty. Miguel Escobar, Sir. Lahat ng mga opisyales sa barangay, civic organizations, tribal sectors, our Muslim brothers, IPs, the religious sector, community leaders, NGOs, regional and national agencies, our friends from the media, law enforcement agencies, government employees, guests, family led by my father, Mr. Paul Dominguez, my one and only lady of my life, alam ba n’yo yun kung sino ‘yun? My mother Rosvida Dominguez, my sisters Ina Dominguez, Cecile Dominguez, Mr. & Mrs. Alejandro Alcantara, former ambassador Mr. Thomas Alcantara, the chairman, guests, welcome to my… our first State of the Province Address which coincides with my 21st birthday, tama ba? 30th birthday.

Before I begin, I would like to invite everybody for a few minutes to take a glimpse of the past two and a half years of our team. These are our significant past which trail-blazed our province to what it is today. Please join me in viewing the video.

(Video presentation)

Okay, good morning to all. Gising pa ba kayo? (Applause) Alam mo marami sa inyo pumunta dito hindi ko alam kung para e-greet ako pati si Vice Gov sa aming kaarawan o pumunta kayo dito para pakinggan ang mga magagandang balita. Ilan sa inyo pumunta dito para mag-greet ng Happy Birthday sa amin ni Vice Gov? Ilan sa inyo. Isa lang? Dalawa? (Applause) Ilan sa inyo ang dumating para makinig ng mga magagandang balita sa nangyayari sa inyong probinsiya sama sa hapit tulo ka tuig sa atong pakig-uban. Pila ka buok sa inyo. (Applause) Mas marami ata pumunta dito para makinig kaysa e-greet kaming dalawa ni Vice Gov. Alam nyo marami sa inyo nag e-expect na yong report namin sa grupo natin ngayon ang mga accomplishments natin bilang gobernador at bilang isang team dito sa probinsiya ninyo sa Sarangani.

Some of you might be expecting to hear a long list of accomplishments, nga siguro gikan diri hangtod sa Glan muabot ang mga detalye. Maminaw ba mo? Ha maminaw ba mo, dili. Walay makatulog sa inyo? Bakit mas marami ang oo kaysa wala. Pero dili siguro nako usa basahon kaning tulo ka karton nga dokumento no? (Governor shows stack of expanding envelopes) Kani tanan. Ingon gani ni Mayor Yap, nako Sir pwerteng taasa pud ana uy, nako e-summarize lang unta. Okay so ako ning e-distribute tanan kini sa inyo unya.

So I’m here in front of you today in the past few months and the last few months of being your governor. Hindi para magyabang, hindi para ipagmalaki ang lahat ng nagawa natin. Pero ang gagawin ko unang-una, hihingi ako ng patawad sa inyo, unang-una. Pangalawa, I will tell you some short stories about cooperation, about unity, about empowering our people of this great province of Sarangani. Then lastly, ako’y magpapasalamat sa inyong lahat.

First, mangayo ko’g pasaylo kaninyong tanan, atong mga lideres, ang akong katawhan, my people of the province. Mangayo kog pasaylo ninyo na dili tungod kay nakahimo ko ug dakong sala, nga nag-away daw mi ni Vice Gov, nag-away daw mi sa inyong Board Members. Dili na tinuod.

I would like to ask forgiveness for the very short period of time that we your team in the Capitol had to do so much for you, our people. When we all took our oath in June 30, 2004, lahat kami dito ay panay mga neophytes. Hindi ba? Rommel, Vice panay mga neophytes tayo. We were all full of hope, paglaum. We were all full of enthusiasm, excitement, na magagawa namin lahat sama sa tulo ka tuig.

After two years and nine months, we realized that holding a public office really makes you see the stark reality, ang realidad, on the ground happening in our far flung barangays away from the beautiful highways of Sarangani, all the way to the highlands. While we all know that we all did our best, this administration together with the staff, with the Vice Governor, with the Board Members, with the Congressman, aaminin namin lahat na they were not enough. Kung marunong lang akong kumanta siguro sasabihin ko I did my best but I guess my best was not good enough. Medyo yabag, hindi ba? Sinong kumanta no’n. Si James Ingram, hindi ba? Uulitin natin, I did my best… pero hindi ako marunong kumanta e. Sige lang. Alam natin na we all did our best however there is still a lot left to be done.

Of course we all feel proud of having done numerous projects in the province, in our municipalities down to our barangays. Nalipay pud ta na ang mga Sarangan nakit-an nato nga nisaka ang kalidad sa tagsa-tagsa sa mga kinabuhi nila because of projects that we have done. I believe that this is not the time to sit down, piyong-piyong ta og muingon, maayo gyud ni si Gov, maayo gyud si Vice, maayo ang atong mga Board Members, atong mga Mayor, atong mga Kapitan.

The mission of public service does not end here. It does not stop at end of the term of a politician such as Mayor Alfonso Singcoy, asa si Mayor Singcoy… Ponso. It does not end with the term of Mayor Grafilo, where’s Mayor Grafilo. Mayor.

As long as there is a single child of Sarangani who cannot go to school because of extreme poverty, we shall never stop as public servants.

When I ran for Governor, I wanted to represent you, the youth - where is my youth? There, to my left and to my right - I wanted to inspire you to make a difference. Now it is up to you to judge whether we, the youth, I as their leader, have really made a difference in your lives as a people of Sarangani.

Para sa mga mag-uuma nato, atong mananagat atong mga bata nga wala pa ka-eskuwela, I am very sorry if our best was not good enough for everybody.

Ang experyensiya nato sama sa duha ka tuig bilang opisyales diri sa inyong probinsiya, nakahatag ug pinakanindot nga experiences sa akong kinabuhi. While I have to learn things very fast, what gave me inspiration was hope sa tagsa-tagsang mga mata ninyo nga nakahatag ug kakusog just to walk the extra mile.

Ever since becoming governor, alam niyo kada adlaw, kada oras, kada minuto, there is always something to do.

I keep telling people kulang ang bente kuatro oras sa usa ka adlaw nato diri sa atong probinsiya.

Rushing to a landslide, flooding, together with Mayor Yap in Glan; rescuing a pilot whale didto sa Ladol tong uban si Mayor Grafilo at 11pm at night; calling my friends, sila Marfin Tan, ang atong mga amigo diri para mag-solicit ug mga produkto gikan sa Gensan nga atong ipadala didto sa St. Bernard, Leyte together with our quick response team; calling the Air Force for a helicopter just to respond and be with my people who have died because of mis-encounters in barangay Kinam.

Many of those things we did together. It was always a partnership between you my people and us in government. It was never one-way street where gobyerno nalang parati. Of course my famous story is “kape at pandesal” hindi ba? Ako magtitimpla ng kape ninyo, kayo magdala ng pandesal para makapag-merienda tayo. That is partnership.

I remember together with the officials, the Vice Governor and the Board Members, binisita natin ang isang eskuwelahan sa San Roque sa Malungon. Nakita natin napakasama, napakasira ng eskuwelahan na kung ako ay isang bata, isang estudyante sasabihin ko “nganong magsulod pa man ko sa eskuwelahan mas nindot pa among balay.” Then we organized together with the DSWD our partnership, and together with the community, with their sweat, with their blood, we all made things happen because of partnerships. Now the community designed, the community purchased, handled the bidding process and constructed a beautiful four-classroom building with superior CR na mas gwapo pa sa Royale Hotel. How did we do this? We did these because we all teamed together as partners, and through partnership, we have proven that there is no impossible dream for us not to achieve because we are all partners for development.

Today residents like in Malalag Cogon, dati naglalakad ng tatlo, apat, limang kilometro, ngayon dahil sa samahan natin ang komunidad nagtatrabaho for free, ang probinsiya tumutulong, si Congressman tumutulong, ang munisipyo, ang national government, nabuo po natin ang mga proyekto na akala natin hindi natin makab-ot.

In barangay Daan Suyan, sa una Mayor Ponso ingon nako di na ko mubalik diri, grabeng subida, tabok ka ug sapa mga 15 times. Now what was a two-hour trip is only a 15-minute trip because we all partnered together from the barangay all the way up to the national government. (Applause)

Dati-rati tayo ayaw nating pumunta tayo sa gobyerno. Pag sinabing Kinam sasabihin natin, kamo nay bahala diha basin anaon ta sa mga NPA. However, the people stood up, and now barangay Kinam has been free of the NPAs for two years already. What is a 27 times ka magtabok sa sapa didto, we already poured in P10 million plus P4 million to finish that road. From two-and-a-half hours it will be a 20-minute trip in a matter of six months time. That is what we call convergence (Applause) in making things happen (Applause).

Nakita niyo kanina sa Lamlifew pagpunta natin sabi ng mga teachers - problema ng mga bata pag pumasok, pag recess gutom umuuwi na sa mga bahay nila. Again sabi ko, o sige magkape muna tayo. Magtitimpla tayo ng kape, ano bang maibibigay ninyo? Their small, ang maliit lang na counterpart natin na bigas, pato at maliit na plot ngayon pinapakain sa over 100 students doon sa isang elementary school sa Malungon.

Dati-rati tayo sa gobyerno, kung minsan aminin natin kung hindi, pag late tayo pinapa-punch card natin, di ba?, ang ating DTR. Tama ba mali? Aminin ninyo… tama o mali? Kung minsan tama. Now because of our information and communications technology, we are trailblazing the region in upgrading high-tech environment sa Kapitolyo and the municipalities. Ngayon finger printing na lang. At pasensya na pag-late tayo, late talaga tayo dahil hindi naman makopya ang finger print natin.

We’ve also seen 99% of all high schools in the province connected already to the internet. And this gives a lot of empowerment to our children, especially high school children around the province. We’ve also seen Community e-Centers such as in Alabel, Malapatan, Maitum, Malungon and Glan. The first time that we are seeing a commercial internet café in the municipality of Glan. Thanks to Mayor Yoyong Yap.

Small and Medium Enterprises were provided linkages. Ang trabaho kasi ng gobyerno hindi lamang magbigay. Sinong naniniwalang ang trabaho ng gobyerno parating bigay. Ilan sa inyo. Ang paniniwala ba ninyo kailangan tayong magtulongan, tama? Us in government, our job - ang trabaho natin – ay maging tulay. Tulay galing sa ating mga producers, sa mga mag-uuma all the way down to the markets. Ang trabaho natin is to provide bridges of opportunity so our people can walk that bridge towards development, towards prosperity o kalambuan. We had seen the linkages with Landbank, QUEDANCOR, to finance our small and medium enterprises. And now nakikita natin ‘yung mga produkto natin hindi lamang sa local, sa KCC, nasa nationwide and international as well.

As you can see Sarangani’s triumphs, gamay man o dako, have been achieved through cooperation and unity among our people. For infrastructure, health, education, peace and order, environment, culture and tourism and the whole economy, SMEs, because again that we have dreamt, we have put our arms together, now we are seeing success stories left and right because of our cooperation.

Remember when we work together we achieve a lot. We are writing our own history. This is not only my story, this is your story my fellow Sarangans.

Alam ninyo before I became governor, I was a very quiet executive working across the road sa ating family corporation tasked to look for markets, selling fish, bangus and tilapia. So by a strange twist of fate nahimo kong ‘accidental’ gobernador ninyo diri sa atong probinsiya. ‘Accidental’ tinuod. Very ‘accidental’. I was quickly pushed into a position of responsibility na ang tanong ninyo lahat pati mga kasama kong mga Board Members, “Kaya mo ba? You’re only 26 years old, kaya mo ba?” Marami sa inyo… “Ikaw ba si Migs? Akala namin matanda ka na…” Sabagay tumatanda na rin hindi ba? Nawawala ng buhok konti, may konting ano dito.

But how quickly time flies. At 27 years old, dumating sa amin dito sa Kapitolyo ang responsibilidad of solving problems, increasing the level of income, addressing poverty, addressing basic services from building water systems, building roads, and other things and pinakamahirap, napaka-complicated pala ng gobyerno. Ang daming red tape, ang papeles napakabagal.

During one of our first meetings with the department heads, may nagsabi ang gobyerno hindi yan parang private, hindi parang korporasyon. Sabi ko alam niyo mali kayo. Ang gobyerno, ang Sarangani ay isang korporasyon na lahat tayo ay siyang may ari. (Applause) Kamo tanan tag-iya. Napili lang kami, ni Vice Gov, inyong Board Members para mahimong managers sa inyong probinsiya. Dili mi mga hari-hari, dili mi mahimong hari o reyna diri sa Kapitolyo. We are only your managers tasked to perform every three years. If not, eh di palitan nyo kami, walang problema. Tama? Tama ba hindi?

So when we all started in 2004, sinabi natin we want unity. Gusto nato kalambuan ug maayong panggamhanan as the foundation for the province’s success and development.

So ang simula natin, we streamlined the whole process. Ang dating mataba na burukrasiya – pag mataba mabigat ka hindi ba? Ang ginawa natin pinapayat natin ang burukrasiya, ang Kapitolyo. Marami tayong tinanggal na mga unnecessary o yung mga tao na hindi essential.

Gumawa tayo ng mga public service reforms. And we demanded, your officials demanded, from the Vice Governor down to the Board Members efficient, quality service, benchmarking – ibig sabihin gawin nating modelo ang mga pribadong kumpanya - in terms of delivering service to our people.

Hindi natin pinayagang sabihin ng pribadong sector iba sa gobyerno.

So ang ginawa natin was really to seize every opportunity na dumating sa atin. Parati kong sinasabi sa inyo ang oportunidad lumilipad yan na murag langgam pag dili nato na dakpon muabot na sa imong silingan ug dili na mamalik sa imoha. And the key really was to surround yourself with good people, with the likes of our mayors, our team in the capitol, officials, department heads in our theme - progress fast approaching towards us.

Dinala natin ang Kapitolyo sa barangay. Pumunta tayo sa tao nakinig doon sa pinakamalayong mga barangay such as Tuanadatu tatlong beses, asa si Bapa Usop, nasa likod. Umabot pa nga si Mayor Lopez sa Ned, and also to San Juan.

What is important is to listen and grab all opportunities to make things happen.

Among my partners and heroes in all of these together with the mayors was our late mayor George Yabes. For me his life is the utmost model of public service. He gave up his life, binigay niyang buhay niya para sa taumbayan hindi lang sa Maitum kundi sa buong probinsiya ng Sarangani.

Alam natin ang mga threats, alam natin ang dangers in public service. Hindi tayo matatakot and we shall be fearless in pursuing our dreams, our reforms for the people of Sarangani Province. (Applause) Sabi ng isang manunulat “If you have not found a cause to die for, you are not fit to live.”

Again, sa katawhan sa probinsiya, let us all make a difference for the future of the next generation. Dili ta mahadlok to try new things, to adapt changes. What is important is that we all make a difference opisyal man ka sa kapitolyo, opisyal man ka sa purok, lider ka sa imong sitio, amahan ka sa pamilya. It is time to act now to make a difference.

Then parati nating tinatanong bakit alam natin napakayaman ng probinsiya natin sa Sarangani. We asked ourselves why have we remained poor over the past few years na kahit alam natin na napakayaman - napakayaman ng karagatan, napakayaman ang kabundukan, napakayaman natin, ang ating mga tao sa probinsiya. Lahat tayo may puso, may damdamin, matalino na kayang-kaya natin umuswag padulong sa kalambuan.

Sarangani now has become the front door to the BIMP-EAGA through the Jose Abad Santos-Glan-Sarangani Cooperation Triangle led by Mayor Yoyong Yap. We have not only become the model for Mindanao but we have become the model for the entire ASEAN na first time ang munisipyo siyang nangunguna looking outside for trade and development to their international neighbors. Palakpakan natin ang JAGS-CT. (Applause)

Last October 8, we set our first voyage full of goods and products. Last week, pumunta tayo sa Sangihe, 10 hours by boat akala namin lahat mamatay na kami sa daku sa balud but this is one way of retracing our history of again building bridges towards our neighbors outside for future development of this province.

We have a land area of about 500,000 hectares. We have a population of roughly about half a million people, so one is to one. In 2004, only a few hectares of land were productive. For example in Maasim led by Mayor Lopez, Dole Philippines and the local government have turned a former rebel-controlled village into a pineapple plantation. Paano ginawa yon? Ginawan ng tulay ni Mayor Jojo Lopez galing sa mag-uuma papunta sa mercado. (Applause)

In barangay Amsipit, a coop member si Pring Malo recently earned about a P121,000 for two hectares alone. Dati-rati, weekly, itong si Pring pumupunta ng opisina para humingi ng pambigas, diba Jo? Ngayon sabi nya dati maskin isang libo matatakot akong mangutang, ngayon kahit isang daang libo kayang-kaya kong umutang dahil alam ko secure at marami akong kita in the future dahil sa kooperasyon ng gobyerno at ng Dole Philippines.

Amsipit is also the place where Ka Alfe, ang ating former commander ng NPA and his team now watch and till over the pineapple plantations. Tinutulungan niya ang gobyerno at ang mga mag-uuma to form into cooperatives. This is also where ang Pangulo natin Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ay nagbigay ng more than P10 million to finance the road development in that area.

Ang tawag natin dito dati armas ngayon mag-uuma. Tinatawag natin itong “arms-to-farms” initiative, that has turned former insurgents into tillers and managers of their own farms, participating in the development process while making a living at lahat sila ay naging partners ng gobyerno.

To access unproductive areas, the provincial government together with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan purchased a brand new fleet of heavy equipment, to our roads dati na kabayo lang ay nagiging kinse minutos na lang ngayon at ang savings pumupunta directly sa bulsa ng ating mga partners.

For small and medium enterprises, we implemented the one-town one-product program. In aquaculture areas, we introduced the big brother-small brother concept where bigger traders patronize the products of small fishermen at ngayon umaabot na kahit sa Amerika ang mga produkto ng mga kapatid natin sa Kawas pati sa Sapu Padidu.

In Glan, ang dati-dati unproductive beaches ay nagiging tourist spots na dahil sa mga promotions na ginagawa natin. Isla Parilla in Alabel continues to be the prime spot for conventions and parties in the province. Thanks to Mr. Marfin Tan. (Applause)

People from all over the country have come to experience nature at its best, experiencing river-tubing in Barangay New La Union. As of last year December siguro mahigit kumulang dose mil ang bisita natin sa isang maliit na barangay doon sa dulong-dulo ng Maitum at ito ang naging isang pahiwatig na kaya pala nating mag-conserve at kumita doon sa ating mga natural resources.

Tourists also have discovered the pristine waters of Tuka Marine Park in Kiamba led by its number one endorser Mayor Danny Martinez who appears in all of the brochures.
Foreigners have continuously patronized the South Point Divers in Tinoto, Maasim and agro-tourism is now flourishing in Malungon.

While Sarangani is teeming with so much resources, hindi pa natin ho na-harness them enough para maakyat ang kalidad ng pamumuhay ng taumbayan natin.

Data from the NSO shows that we are among the bottom 10 provinces in the country. Seven out of the 10 poorest are in Mindanao.

For Sarangani’s population of about half a million people, only about more than half of our people of age five years and above, had attended or completed elementary education. Only 1%, only 1% continued to college.

During the first few months, sabi natin ano ba ang magagastos natin? Ito yung IRA na nakukuha natin sa gobyerno galing kay Pangulong Arroyo at sabi natin hindi tayo pwedeng maging masaya lamang sa tinatanggap natin galing sa national government.

So ang ginawa natin, we decided to again slash the workforce to a leaner, sa ato pa mas niwang inyong gobernador karon dili na bug-at dal-on, cut the fat by 10%. We decided to address the lack of schools, roads and public markets instead of buying new cars for the newly elected provincial officials, (Applause) instead of building waiting sheds and basketball courts. Hindi natin nilalagay sa sayang ang pera sa kaban ng gobyerno ninyo bilang inyong mga managers sa probinsiya.

As government workers we must act like businessmen, quick to adapt to the changes in the market. Dati-rati ang IRA natin, ang kaban ng gobyerno ninyo was only P328 million. Dahil sa pagsisipag ng ating mga empleyado, we have increased our tax collection by 125% from local taxes, a P109% for permits and licenses, 199% increase for service income and these collections have amounted to about P25 million, dagdag sa kaban ng gobyerno na ngayon makikita nyo in terms of projects in your barangays and municipalities. (Applause)

Gusto ko rin pasalamatan of course ang Pangulo natin, si Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, ang ating mga Senador, si Manny Villar, Kiko Pangilinan, Mar Roxas and lalong-lalo na ang suporta ng ating Congressman Erwin Chiongbian na nagbigay ng isang malaking tulong para makapagpagawa tayo ng mga farm-to-market roads, public market, schools buildings and water systems. Also through the support of our Vice Governor, through Spectrum na nabuo natin ang lahat ng mga NGOs at ngayon marami ng proyekto ang dumarating dahil nabuo natin ang lahat ng NGOs at natutukan ang mga kailangan ng mga taumbayan ng probinsiya. (Applause)

Dahil from day one sabi natin hindi tayo puwede mag-depende sa national government. Ako matigas ang ulo ko ang sabi ko bahala na yang national government, kayang kaya nating mamuhay ang sarili dito. Lahat tayo ay magagaling.

We have been able to source out funds amounting to more than P1 billion in the past two years in terms of development projects, with various sectors, sa labas man ng bansa o sa loob. This is a matter of P1 billion for the whole province of Sarangani. (Applause)

Ang napuntahan ng isang bilyon na pesos, more than a billion, pinakamalaki ang social development, infrastructure, ang DAR nakabigay ng more than P200 million na nakatutok sa areas ng Malandag papuntang Atlae, irrigation amounting to more than P60 million at iba-iba pa.

Last year, binigyan tayo ng Pangulo natin ng more than P50 million purely for farm-to-market roads. Ito yung nakikita na natin sa ibat-ibang mga munisipyo ninyo. A P340 million septage treatment plant from the Japanese government, loan assistance from the Landbank, and the P31-million building and research facilities purely for environmental conservation and protection especially for Sarangani Bay para siguraduhin natin that the future generations will still enjoy ang kayamanan ng ating karagatan. (Applause)

Our partnerships with the private sector – because we developed credibility and good governance. Pag wala tayong kredibilidad, walang tutulong sa atin kanya-kanya tayo.

We have collaborated with PBSP and other companies to send poor and deserving students to school, building classrooms, feeding programs for District I and others.

Alam mo last year nakapa-graduate tayo ng about 14 graduates sa ating Paaral Para sa Sarangan. (Applause) Sasabihin nyo, katorse lang? Katorse lang? Alam mo para sa inyo baka sabihin nyo maliit lang ito but for us this is very, very, very significant. Ang ating Madaris school program has become a model for Muslim youth education even in Muslim Mindanao. Tinuruan pa namin ang mga kapatid natin sa ARMM kung paano magpatakbo ng isang modelong Madaris program para sa mga kapatid nating mga Muslim.

Our sponsors such as KALAHI, DA have really helped us, number one, empower people. First time natin makita na ang tao mismo ang gumagawa ng sariling proyekto, siya ang nagbi-bidding, siya ang bumibili and unfortunately to us in government, national or local, mas maganda pa ang kalidad at gawa ng mga proyekto na gawa ng taumbayan ng Sarangani kaysa sa atin sa gobyerno. Nakakahiya pero ito isa itong challenge para sa atin.

We have sponsors like the Global Fund in addressing malaria especially hinterlands. Sinama natin ang ating mga kapatid nating mga IPs, Muslim people na lahat tayo ay may sariling responsibilidad at accountability sa ating gobyerno. We are nurturing the culture of peace. Peace is very fragile. Nakita ninyo sa ibat-ibang lugar sa Mindanao konting awayan lang nagbabarilan, nagsasabogan. Nakita niyo sa Midsayap, nakita nyo sa ibat-ibang lugar. Dahil tayo mismo opisyales led by your officials, are going down to the grassroots kinakausap natin ang mga kapatid natin. Kristiyano man o Muslim, tribu ka man, B’laan o T’boli, importante andito tayo para maging tulay na hindi na lalaki ang mga kaguluhan especially in Sarangani Province. We have trained our communities to become entrepreneurs.

Ang ating International Monitoring Team has been a very, very big help in bringing cooperation together with the MILF and the police. May isang istorya po si Kumander Buhar sa Sapu Masla, naging “pulis” na ngayon, dahil everytime may hinahanap kaming mga criminals, MILF mismo ang tumutulong sa amin kaya sabi ko baka wala nang trabaho ang police dito sa probinsya ng Sarangani dahil ang taumbayan mismo ang sabi mahal ko ang probinsya, mayroon akong accountability at responsibilidad sa pagtataguyod ng kapayapaan sa probinsiya ko. (Applause)

As a result, sa inyong lahat, nagpapasalamat ang lahat ng tao na ni isang beses hindi nagkaroon ng bakbakan or serious armed conflict, kidnapping man o barilan sa probinsiya ng Sarangani over the past three years at maraming salamat sa inyong lahat. (Applause)

Malaking tulong din ang National Commission for Culture and the Arts lalong-lalo na sa ating mga Schools of Living Tradition para sa indigenous communities natin.

Nakita natin na ang turismo na dati-rati nagkakaroon tayo ng bisita, ipapakita natin ang probinsiya pero pinapatulog natin sa Heneral Santos City. Because of the initiatives of our mayors, we have been able to excite our businessmen, to take risks to invest in the tourism industry na ngayon ang mga white sand beaches natin sa Glan punong-puno parati, ang mga river tubing natin sa La Union, underwater sanctuaries and endangered wildlife are all being taken advantaged of by our guests and tourists in the province of Sarangani.

For economic growth, again tulay ang QUEDANCOR nakapagtulong ng napakalaki sa ating cardaba banana pati na ang Chamber of Aquaculture Industries na sinusuportahan ng DTI pati ang Alsons Aquaculture as partners sa ating fisherfolk communities. Nakita rin natin na sa JAGS-CT, ang pribadong sektor na mismo ang nangunguna sa ating mga trade missions papuntang Indonesia.

Remember, now is the time to take risk. Now is the time to look beyond what we are used to. Hindi dahil ibig sabihin sanay tayo parating gawin ito hindi na tayo magri-risgo. It is time to look beyond our boundaries, beyond our seas and link up internationally to fast-track and create economies that would to bring progress down to the grassroots. We have facilitated the channeling of resources from the national government pababa.

Ang Upland Development Programme natin together with European Union for environmental protection, and UNICEF for the welfare of children.

Ang UNDP program natin ay nabigyan ng Galing Pook Foundation award. Ito po ang pinakamataas na award na siyang binibigyan ng halaga at pinakamagaling na munisipio ng Maitum para sa child friendly for 2006. (Applause) Ang Maitum was honored for continuously demonstrating and expanding ang kakayahan nila in attaining the Millennium Development Goals.

Ang USAID-GEM ay nakapagbigay rin ng napakaraming mga proyekto sa atin.

So we believe and have observed na itong mga initiatives natin malaki man o maliit have been changing our people’s orientation about government and governance.

Dati-rati patronage-driven ang pulitika natin, ngayon naging transactional to transformational leadership. We are actually trying to create an environment na lahat tayo magkakapatid mga Sarangan ay puwedeng mamuhay dala ang ating kanya-kanyang rights. However, importante ang obligations natin sa gobyerno lalong lalo sa buwis ay mabayaran din para mabalik natin sa inyo.

Sarangani is a home to a very, very diverse people coming from different tribes, cultures… makukuha mo lang sentimento ng tao by listening, by speaking, hahawakan natin ang kamay at makinig tayo sa kanilang mga dinadamdam. By increasing their awareness of good governance, by listening to them, we were able to pinpoint accountabilities and responsibilities kaya importante lahat tayo – opisyal ka man o galing ka sa pribadong sektor – ay syang magsasabi na lahat tayo ay may kanya-kanyang responsibilidad sa ating probinsiya.

In ending, I’ve learned so many lessons since becoming governor. Ang isa, circumstances and opportunities to act happen to everybody. Another lesson is, you must serve with sincerity. Dili lang pirmi lang ka saad para makakuha kag boto sa katawhan nimo.

Ang ginagamit natin sa team sa Kapitolyo is our idealism, our energy, ang ating vision to take advantage of opportunities na walang pinipili. At sabi nga namin kahit ayaw niyo ang ginagawa namin, gagawin namin lahat para sa ikabubuti ng taong bayan ng Sarangani.

Before I end, gusto kong magpasalamat sa inyong lahat - sa inyong lahat - lahat ng mga opisyales, dahil sa kooperasyon and partnership na nabigay niyo sa amin dito sa Capitol. Kung wala ang inyong mainit na pagtanggap sa amin, wala kaming magagawa dito. Without your belief, sa inyong kumpiyansa, sa inyong trust, wala pa rin kaming magagawa dito sa inyong probinsiya.

Let us celebrate this day not for the accomplishments of our people but for the unprecedented achievements because of the cooperation na lahat tayo ay naglalakad sabay-sabay na walang naiiwan sa probinsiya natin. (Applause) Ang aking munting hangad para sa inyo, ang hinihiling ko lang, na dapat maipatuloy natin ang ating partnership and prosperity. Huwag natin gamitin ang pulitika para masira ang ating pagsasama, ang ating pagkakaisa, at pinaka-importante, patuloy nating isulat ang ating kasaysayan patungo sa kalambuan at progreso.

Mabuhay tayong lahat, mabuhay ang Sarangani, ug mabuhay ang Sarangans! Maraming Salamat and congratulations to all of you. (Applause. Standing Ovation)