Good Job Mayor, Good Job Zamboanga!

ZAMBOANGA CITY climbed four notches to become the 15^th in the “Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index (CMCI)” and distinguished itself this year as the 5th Most Improved Local Government among all 33 highly urbanized cities in the country – 16 of which are located in Metro Manila.

The CMCI is an annual ranking of cities and municipalities based on four pillars namely Economic Dynamism, Government Efficiency, Infrastructure, and Resiliency.

It was developed by the National Competitiveness Council through the Regional Competitiveness Committees with the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development.

From 19^th place in 2019, Zamboanga not only improved drastically but also placed 10th in Economic Dynamism pillar; ranked 17^th in Government Efficiency pillar and 17^th place in Infrastructure pillar and 29th in Resiliency pillar. 

The local government along with other cities and municipalities were feted recently by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

It said next year’s awards will include the 5th pillar which is “Innovation” to encompass the initiatives of cities and municipalities to harness new technology, digital transformation, and innovative thinking to boost competitiveness and sustain operations, particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Mayor Beng Climaco praised the civil employees and their department heads, as well as those who continued to support her administration, especially during this time of the pandemic and the heightened political propaganda and attacks against her administration. “I thanked each and every one in the local government and above all God who continues to guide us all. To God be the glory,” she told the Zamboanga Post in a phone interview. 

Number 1 

Just recently, the local government also topped the entire Western Mindanao region in Covid-19 response despite the surge in community transmission in the latest assessment of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)

The DILG said the local government is number 1 in functionality rating garnering 86.5 percent and beating the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte, including the cities of Dapitan, Dipolog and Pagadian. 

Climaco thanked the DILG and all those who contributed in fighting the pandemic – from barangay health workers to the medical frontliners and security forces, including various local government departments. She said the highest rating the local government received from the DILG only proves and demonstrated the hard work and dedication put up by each and every frontliners to save the lives of others. 

“We are encourage by the (high) functionality rating (given by the DILG) as this gives us the will to carry on and do what we have to do to keep our people safe and protected from Covid-19 amediante el alto caso del aqui na ciudad,” she said. 

“Este functionality rating que ya dale el Departamento del Interior ta sirvi como inspiracion con todo canaton, especialmente el de atun compañeros na gobierno local sin descanso ta trabaja cay ustedes el de amun numero uno prioridad, el de ustedes salud y seguridad el numero uno na de amun prioridad poreso ta apela kame con todo con ustedes dale grande responsabilidad na proteccion de cada egual familia,” she added.

Climaco said the raging battle to stop, if not reduce the spread of the deadly virus and other Covid-19 variants, is not only the work of government alone, but of everyone as everybody is vulnerable to the dreaded disease.

Thank You All

The mayor praised the various departments at City Hall and the local police force and military for their role in Covid-19 response. She has, since last year, has nothing to say but praises to all Covid-19 frontliners from Barangay Health Workers and their leaders and officials, to the doctors and nurses both in private and government hospitals, and all those involved in the fight against the disease – and calling them all “modern-day heroes.” 

“Ta rindi tamen kita gracias con todo que ya contribui con este (alto) functionality rating (del DILG), talli el policia, el CDRRMO, el City Health Office, City Tourism Office, City Accounting Office, el Office of the City Planning (and Development Coordinator),el Office of the City Engineer, y todo con aquellos que ya hace este posible,” the mayor said. 

Very Good

In March this year, the Department of Health (DOH) even cited the Climaco administration for topping in the anti-tuberculosis (TB) campaign in the whole of the Zamboanga Peninsula region despite the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Zamboanga City was also the sole recipient of the “Population Testing Rate Award” for garnering the highest percentage of the population tested for TB last year.

And even in the midst of the local government efforts to completely eliminate the deadly Covid-19, the local government has not lost sight of its priority programs that benefit the Zamboangueño people.  

Considering the restrictions and the challenges posed by the pandemic on the anti-TB campaign, the local government though the City Health Office and Barangay Health Workers and others who were involved in the program, managed to vaccinate majority of its population against the lung disease. (Zamboanga Post)

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