By Alberto Vicente/ June 15, 2024
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Hard work and sincere efforts to rise from the Covid 19 pandemic are starting to pay off as the city registers solid economic figures making an impact on the living conditions of families.
Sound fiscal policy and programs to bring government basic services to the people are paying off with Cagayan de Oro City earning its first-ever Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) in 2023. The city has also emerged as the second richest city outside Metro Manila regarding per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and the third biggest urban economy after Manila and Cebu.
“We started our journey with the challenge of recovering from the effects of the pandemic. We challenged ourselves. We challenged everyone to RISE. We challenged CDO to RISE,” Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy said in his second State of the City Address at the Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr. International Convention Center, with officers, employees, and key local stakeholders in full regalia.
“At that time, amid the many awards received by the city government, the truth was that the economy was weak, and many families were suffering from abject poverty”, Mayor Uy recalled.
Data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) revealed that 3,000 of 15,000 families under 4Ps (Pantawid sa Pamilyang Pilipino Program), have been lifted out of poverty.
Investments are pouring into the city because of the high spending capacity of Kagayanons. The per capita GDP of Cagayan de Oro is around P28,000 per month. With a solid middle class, Cagayan de Oro’s average family size is 3.8, while Northern Mindanao’s is 4.2.
“This means that the increased income due to economic progress, the spending capacity per family also increases,” Mayor Uy explained.
As a regional leader and center of the emerging 4th metropolitan city in the country, Cagayan de Oro, a highly urbanized city has the biggest contribution, at 28% to the GDP of Northern Mindanao.
He called on Misamis Oriental Gov. Pedro Unabia and Bukidnon Gov. O’neil Roque to work together with the city to spur more inclusive growth in Northern Mindanao and the envisioned Metro Cagayan de Oro. Gov. Unabia attended the State of the City Address.
PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE
The first-ever SGLG award in 2023 according to Mayor Uy defines his administration’s sincere, participatory, and transparent governance.
Bringing the people closer to the people through the Klarex nga Serbisyo sa Barangay (KSB) and Suroy Suroy sa Barangay (SSB) and the People’s Day, increased the people’s confidence in the local government.
Mayor Uy personally attended to 9,301 persons from July to December 2023; and another 9.053 from January to April 2024. Every Wednesday is People’s Day, where Mayor Uy and the department heads hold office in the city’s open quadrangle to attend to people’s needs directly.
The 36 KSB in 2023 served 149,587 people served by the KSB; So far, 13,124 people benefited from health services under the SSB program. In his first year as mayor, he goes to the barangays with key city hall departments every Saturday to provide services.
The city’s budget structure in 2023 was focused on economic programs at 44.36%, social services at 30.44%, and general services at 22.3%.
The city government’s Barangay Empowerment Program had approved 78 projects amounting to P256 million to be implemented in 50 barangays.
Moving forward, Mayor Uy said the city government will continue investing heavily in the city’s human resources and grassroots communities.
He told barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials to conduct more consultations in crafting their next projects under his Barangay Empowerment Program.
SOLID FISCAL STATUS
In 2023, the collection of revenues by the City Finance Department was the highest so far, with P5.6 billion. There were 5,414 new Business Permits out of the 30,962 who registered with the city.
Big businesses are expanding, and new ones are coming up. Local supermarkets Ororama and Gaisano are expanding, and keeping UP with bigger competitors like SM, Ayala, and Robinsons. Luxury hotels, condominiums, and shopping stores are starting construction.
Pueblo de Oro Development Corp is embarking on a P13-billion expansion of its Pueblo de Oro township. Cebu Landmasters has an ongoing multi-billion project in the city.
Tourist arrivals reached 775,024, a 12.72% increase from the previous year.
In a recent report at CurrentPH, another major Cebu-based developer is raring to set foot in the city, citing local government support, among others.
According to the CurrentPH article dated June 13, 2024: Tourism in CDO is also on the rise becoming a key destination for both local and international travelers, fueled by its rich cultural heritage, adventure tourism offerings, strategic urbanized location, and local government support.
MASSIVE HEALTH PROGRAM
Good management at city government-owned JR Borja General Hospital has finally resulted in its accreditation as a Level II hospital—the 175-bed hospital for around 150,000 people, with 15,240 admissions, and 100,572 out-patient consultations.
To cope with the huge number of patients, the Out-Patient Department of the JRBGH has been extended to 10 pm. The admission is also struggling with a bed occupancy rate of 215%.
Major upgrades are being undertaken at the JRBGH to serve better poor health seekers.
The JRBGH-Lumbia has started operations and has already catered to 8,573 OPD Consultations; 43 Newborn deliveries; and 320 admissions. The JRBGH-Tablon is 85% complete.
In 2023, the JRBGH earned P255,800,172. This is funneled back to patients through its no-billing policy.
The City Health Office is also in phase in the Universal Health Care (UHC) system. It had just completed the preparatory phase of the UHC.
EDUCATION
In the coming school year 2024 to 2025, there will be 15,194 university and technical-vocational institute scholars. In 2023, the city built six school buildings with 48 classrooms. This year, work has started for another six school buildings with 36 classrooms and 2 four-story buildings to house TLE Laboratories.
The City Scholarship Program has expanded to Law and Medicine with 19 scholars taking up Bachelor of Laws: and 12 scholars taking up Medicine.
Also in the coming school year, the promise of Mayor Uy to have 10,000 scholars will be fulfilled. This school year, the city has over 8,000 scholars.
EMPLOYMENT
“Our successful education program can be seen in the increase in employment. The capacity of our graduates and employees attracts new investments in the city,” Mayor Uy said.
The city government Public Employment Service Office (PESO) had its hands full with 30 Barangay Employment Assistance Desks. The job placement rate of our PESO is 90.82%.
In 2023, PESO organized 12 job fairs resulting in the hiring of 14,653 job seekers.
HOUSING
The city government is partnering with the Dept. of Human Settlement and Urban Development in the housing program.
The mayor had led the groundbreaking of two housing projects under the 4PH (Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing) in Pagatpat and San Simon with 3,200 housing units in mid-rise buildings. The Uy administration seeks to substantially address the housing needs of city residents of around 30,000 housing units.
SECURITY
To safeguard economic progress, Mayor Uy underscored security and safety. He lauded the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office for doing its job well and appealed for their untiring vigilance.
The mayor acknowledged COCPO for the 3.5% crime rate reduction in 2023, with the crime solution efficiency of 85.81% and crime clearance efficiency of 97.83%
RISE CDO
To sustain the gains achieved so far in his administration, Mayor Uy rallied, yet again, the people and city hall bureaucracy to unite and work harder. He also called neighboring provinces — Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon — for more development partnership with the city.
“To my comrades in Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon, Gov. Peter Unabia and Gov. Oneil Roque, let us nurture and strengthen further our development cooperation.” Mayor Uy said.
“We need to provide more services to the people. Service, that is fair. Service that favors no one. Service to all, because we believe that government should be within reach by the people. The people should be near the government.
“Through our unity and teamwork, I am hopeful that our people can claim equal opportunity: Opportunity to work and livelihood; opportunity to improved well-being; and opportunity to have a bright future.”
The RISE framework of governance stands for regional leadership, metropolization, and connectivity; Institutional development and participatory governance; Safety, security, and human development; and Economic recovery.
The Charter of the City of Cagayan de Oro, also known as Republic Act No. 521, was enacted on June 15, 1950. (Top photo by April Lorenzana/ CMO Communications Group)
