DAVAO DEL NORTE, 28 December (PIA) – In year 2021, the provincial government gears to increase the number of health facilities, ensure food-sufficiency, prevent flooding, develop more tourist destinations. It also bids to prioritize education and agri-development.
During the year-end episode of Kapihan sa DavNor on December 23, 2020, Governor Edwin I. Jubahib announced the formation of five rural health units in New Corella, Asuncion, Talaingod, Santo Tomas, and Panabo City.
“Nag atubang man gud ta sa pandemya nga problema…ang atoang pag abli sa atong COVID testing nga facility nga gibutang nato sa DRMC nga mahimo na siyang full operation (We are facing the pandemic problem…the COVID testing facility we opened in Davao Regional Medical Center will be in full operation),” Jubahib said.
“In support ani, ang atong pag patindog sa lima ka rural health unit, mao ni ang mga hospitals nga ibutang sa upat ka munisipyo ug isa ka syudad (In support to this, we will construct five rural health units in four municipalities and one city),” he added.
These health units will cater minor medical cases so that district hospitals will have more room to handle the more serious cases.
According to Jubahib, this will allow the province to have a dedicated hospital for COVID19-related cases only, considering the unexpected extent of COVID-19 transmission.
In addition, he announced the opening of dialysis centers, with 40-bed capacity, in the district hospitals of Carmen, Island Garden City of Samal, and Kapalong.
Aside from strengthening the province’s medical capacity, Jubahib announced its plans for 2021 towards food-sufficiency, flood prevention, tourism development, education, and agriculture.
With the full implementation of “Kausa sa Agrikultura ug Panginabuhian sa Barangay” or KAAGAPAY program in 2021, there will be trading posts where everyone in the province can buy the products of each family’s backyard harvest, he said.
The trading post will house a 50 million-peso cold storage facility to store the vegetables and poultry.
“Full implementation of KAAGAPAY in 2021. Tanang panimalay ato nang e-register under KAAGAPAY (All households we will register under KAAGAPAY). Naa tay P50million para cold storage facility (We have a 50 million-peso cold storage facility),” he said.
On flood prevention, Jubahib revealed his bid for more dredging and flood control equipment to ensure safety of the province from flooding.
He also envisions development of the province’s tourism with P200 million that has beenbudgeted for this thrust.
As well, Jubahib announced the P36 million budget to support DepEd (Department of Education) through the local school boards.
For agriculture, he intends to pursue land-banking strategy to establish agriculture facilities of the government such as rice mills, mechanical driers, solar driers, and warehouses on lands purchased by the government.
