Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr., has vowed to “ensure the health, education, and well-being” of children in Angeles City.
During his State of the Children’s Address on Tuesday at the Angeles City Legislative Office, Mayor Lazatin said “it is our paramount duty to ensure the health, education, and well-being of our children” citing the “pride and confidence” in having implemented these programs and the desire to continue them in the next two more years.
“I stand before you today with pride and confidence – pride, because I know that somehow, I made good of my promises to provide each Angeleno student access to education; confidence, for in the next two more years, with all your help, we can achieve more,” Lazatin said.
This, after Lazatin just concluded his visits to the city’s 55 public schools and 72 day-care centers in Angeles City to personally distribute more than 100,000 sets of school gears and supplies to students – from kindergarten up to Grade 12.
The provision for free school supplies had started in 2022 when the Angeles LGU led by Lazatin provided free shoes, socks, shirts, school supplies, and new bags for the public school students. The gesture eased the burden of parents who expressed their gratitude to the local chief executive.
Lazatin said the day care centers were provided with 3,000 new chairs and tables thru a partnership with Impact Balibago Arts and Crafts (IBAC) to “make learning more conducive to our children.”
He added that 45 more classrooms were completed in the City College of Angeles (CCA) to accommodate an additional 1,500 students increasing the population to 6,500.
Health and education are two of the cornerstones of the Lazatin administration assuring that children in the city get not only good education but also adequate nutrition via the launching of the “Pusong Mamon,” a bread made of the healthy malunggay. Some 1,500 children in the city have benefitted from the program to address malnutrition.
The City Nutrition Office with the help of barangay nutrition scholars have distributed 100,500 pieces of Pusong Mamon via house-to-house visit. Some P4 million is earmarked for the Pusong Mamon program every year.
“This leadership recognizes the fundamental importance of protecting and improving the health of our children,” according to Lazatin.
“The pandemic has taught us the importance of health and taking care of ourselves, especially the most vulnerable members of our community – the children,” he said.
Lazatin has vowed to “make health services accessible to all.”
Among others, Lazatin said the Angeles LGU will “upgrade the 11 health center facilities in nine barangays to become primary care facilities.” This endeavor is expected to cost P60 million.
The Angeles LGU has already started the expansion of the first three health centers in Barangays Pulungbulu, Tabun, and Capaya, in April this year.
Lazatin said the Angeles LGU will hire 11 rural health physicians, 11 medical technologists, and 11 laboratory aides to man the 11 Primary Care Facilities in the city.
He said medicines will readily available for free and will be replenished every week.
5 MORE RHUs in 2024
Lazatin said five more Rural Health Units (RHUs) will be established in Barangays Cutud, Pampang, Balibago (Hadrian), Pulungbulu (Mangga), and Malabanias (Clarkview).
“The creation of more RHUs will not only make health services accessible but it will also decongest our city hospital – the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center,” he said.
Lazatin said that it is the desire of the Angeles LGU that “juvenile children will be reformed and transformed into productive members of our society.”
Furthermore, Lazatin said the Angeles LGU is currently “reviewing our public school programs for children with special needs.” He said the city government will provide funds for the program.
“I believe that children with special needs must receive more from my government, and we will spare no effort in ensuring that we open the doors for these children so that they will have the same opportunities,” said Lazatin.
Computer Laboratories
Some P60 million had been allotted for the development of computer laboratories for the junior and senior high schools at the FG Nepomuceno Memorial High School; Rafael Lazatin Integrated School; Rafael Lazatin Memorial High School; Angeles City National High School; Angeles City National Trade School; and Northville 15 Integrated School.
Lazatin said he wants the graduates to be more competitive in the job market. “We will provide enough computers to students so that the ration of computers to students is one-is-to-one. We will endure the computers are capable enough to be used simultaneously.”
Lazatin said his commitment for the welfare of children is boundless and this is only the start of another year of hardwork.