AS his administration in City Hall enters its seventh month in office, Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy thanked all stakeholders while reminding them of the formidable challenges that lie ahead in improving the lives of the people of Cagayan de Oro.
“Based on data by the Philippine Statistics Authority for the year 2020, about 10.5 percent of Cagayan de Oro City’s population live below the poverty threshold (and are thus) unable to buy food and other essentials. (This same PSA data showed) that these families earn below P2,405 a month (which is insufficient) to provide for a family of four people,” Mayor Uy said in Visayan during a joint council meeting yesterday.
Mayor Uy and the 20th City Council of Cagayan de Oro City led by Vice Mayor Jocelyn ‘Bebot’ Rodriguez attended the joint meeting of the City Development Council and City Peace, Security and Development Council held in one of the city’s hotels.
The meeting was a follow-up to the City Development Council meeting held last Sept. 27 that resulted in the presentation of the city’s annual investment plan.
Tuesday’s meeting was also attended by City Hall’s department managers and personnel, barangay leaders, civil society groups and non-government organizations (NGOs), and regional directors of national government agencies.
Citing additional PSA data in his opening message to the joint councils meeting, Mayor Klarex said Cagayan de Oro City’s gross city domestic product reached P239 billion in 2021.
While this is the largest GDP of any local government in northern Mindanao despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Mayor Klarex reiterated that it remains a challenge for City Hall to convert that growth into a concrete reality for the people of Cagayan de Oro.
“The challenge remains for us to attend to the needs of our people and further reduce their poverty,” Mayor Uy said in Visayan.
As such, Mayor Uy said the city’s development programs that were outlined in the city’s annual investment program, peace and order and public safety plan, and City Development Investment Plan underwent extensive consultations with stakeholders to ensure that they are centered on improving the quality of life of the Kagay-anons.
“Cagayan de Oro City is the center of commerce, education, and health services in northern Mindanao…the programs that we approve today are just the tip of the initiatives that we will implement under our RISE development agenda, programs that are people-centered,” Mayor Uy said in Visayan.
RISE is an acronym that stands for (R)egional Leadership, (I)nstitutional Development, (S)afety and Security, and (E)conomic Recovery. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)