Samar town showcases achievements in 121st founding anniversary

By PIA Samar
November 29, 2012

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  Sta. Margarita, one of Samar’s 24 municipalities marked its 121st founding anniversary Wednesday, showcasing its achievements in the last few years.

Formerly called Magsohong, Sta. Margarita proudly claimed that it continues to grow with its band of officials led by Mayor Alfredo Serrano.

In his State of the Municipality Report, Serrano cited that his local health unit has been given PhilHealth accreditation due to his dynamic and young Municipal Health Officer.

He also praised the young doc for sustaining the Sentrong Sigla seal through the years, that he was inspired to provide a modern birthing facility and the first maternal and child care clinic complete with ambulance and able health staff.

The RHU has also a Child Protection Unit where abused children can turn to in times of need.

As to education, Serrano claimed that of the 64 secondary schools in the province only four showed excellence where two of which are found in Sta. Margarita.

To help the students get to school on time, it has provided a school bus free of charge ferrying students to and from school, although one teacher whispered, the students are cramped, still the effort to help them is present.

The mayor also talked of social services to Pantawid families, infrastructure strengthened by the intervention of Samar’s first district Representative to Congress Mel Senen Sarmiento.

He also talked of a peaceful town with the help of the army and the PNP, along with force multipliers in the barangay trained under the Barangay Action Patrol System (BPATs).

Judy Batulan of DILG-Samar praised the mayor for complying with the SOMA which exhibited his type of governance.

Batulan added that Serrano is compliant to the full disclosure policy (FDP) of the DILG.

“Your mayor is performing, your town belongs to 15 out of 26 LGUs that are FDP compliant,” he told the crowd of students, teachers, barangay officials and Pantawid families that filled the jam-packed auditorium.

Board Member Charlie Coñejos who read the message of Representative Mel Senen Sarmiento also praised Serrano in his style of governance that made him support the town’s infrastructure projects amounting to P218 Million. This includes roads, buildings, classrooms, communal irrigation systems and others.

He added that another P11.7 M was allotted for the town’s social services.

Earlier, Sta. Margarita folks held a parade, flag raising, unveiling of a tarpaulin that displays their tourist potentials and a thanksgiving mass.