Congratulations to Team Sagarbarria! Are you ready to rumble? Your team is facing many opportunities and many challenges! Good luck!
It is time for the Dumaguete City administration, led by Mayor Chiquiting Sagabarria, to develop a fresh development plan, and set the priorities right for the local government.
It is time to review the performance of the past administration, and find what else needs to be done. An inventory of projects must be made so that an appropriate plan can be worked out.
For instance, environmental priorities center on addressing urgent issues like climate change, human health, ecosystem quality, and the sustainable use of natural resources.
These priorities are interconnected, requiring integrated solutions for long-term sustainability.Key areas include reducing carbon emissions, protecting biodiversity, promoting sustainable resource management, and improving environmental quality.
The current development plan of the Department of Public Works & Highways for the purported “repair of damaged areas of the boulevard” along Flores Avenue now extends towards Silliman Beach in barangay Bantayan.
Property owners who line the coastal area are directly concerned about the seemingly day and night work being done in the area, which will probably result in the blockage of the view of the sea, and cause untold damage to the marine life/ biodiversity along the coast.
It is of utmost importance that Mayor Sagarbarria be concerned about the infrastructure development along the boulevard, especially that the hotels and restaurants located in the area are mostly homegrown income- generating entities, and which have become tourist attractions to Dumaguete guests who come for the gastronomic fare the City has to offer.
What can the City government do to assist our local business owners affected by this “development”?
On improving environment quality, focus should be made on proper waste management.
Previously, the local government had touted the use of the pyrolysis machine as a means to get rid of garbage. It is a thermo-chemical decomposition process that uses heat (from incineration) to break down organic materials in the absence of oxygen.
This process converts materials like biomass and plastic waste into valuable products such as bio-oil, biochar, and combustible gases. These products can be used as fuel sources, or further processed into other valuable chemicals.
While offering potential benefits in waste management and energy recovery, it also presents several negative impacts: environmental pollution from emissions, high operational and capital costs, production of hazardous by-products, and sustainability concerns related to sourcing feedstocks. What can de done about this problem?
A constant concern among citizens is the delivery of health care system services.
Health inequities continue to exist due to poverty, the steep cost of health, and the lack of access to health care.
These challenges are further constrained by inadequate health services, lack of financing, and a weak health information system.
While the previous administration announced that a city hospital was in the process of being established, the problem continues to exist — this is why it has to be made a priority as our Provincial Hospital is overburdened and underbudgeted in terms of staffing, laboratory services, and availability of needed medicines, even if an expansion is on the way. And that is mainly for the Province; what about for Dumaguete City?
If you know Mayor Chiquiting, he listens, and acts quietly.
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Author’s email: whelmayap@yahoo.com
