By Norman C. Caguioa

SAN CARLOS CITY — Mayor Julian “Jolly” V. Resuello delivered his eighth and last State of the City Address (SOCA) as incumbent city executive last Monday at the City Gymnasium here, focusing on the vast transformation of the city during his term, especially in the areas of peace and order, tourism and commerce and trade.

Speaking before department heads and employees of the city government, Sangguniang Panlungsod members led by City Vice-Mayor Julier C. Resuello, and staffs of different line agencies, civic, professional, religious and business associations, judges, prosecutors, barangay workers and the media, Resuello bared his administration’s socio-economic and political gains for the past eight and one-half years.

Resuello, who assumed office in June 1998, called on all sectors of society for a series of dialogues and consultations in order to chart the course of his administration.

The mayor said he believes that city development cannot be had without peace and security. He said he worked towards this direction initially by first making peace with his political rivals.

Next, he began the “politically suicidal” task of streamlining the bureaucracy which was “top heavy with political appointees by his predecessors.” he said.

The mayor also discussed sound fiscal management as a key ingredient in the transformation, from which evolved new fiscal policies.

“Soon enough funds to finance not only the financial obligations of the city but also the construction of various infrastructure projects were (realized) and we were able to improve the delivery of basic services in health, education and social services, ”he said.

On health services, the Resuello administration hired additional medical doctors, nurses, and health care professionals to meet the increasing demand for more health personnel. A Lying-In Clinic at the City Health Office was established and now operating on a 24-hour basis.

Computerization of the city’s Local Civil Registrar also greatly improved their services.

Resuello took the occasion to announce the city government’s intention to implement the P6.5-million computerization program of the Real Property Tax Assessment Records and Business Licensing and Permit Division, through the assistance of the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) in cooperation with the World Bank.

The mayor particularly took obvious pridei n the completion of his dream project, the Doña Eva Macapagal School Complex where state-of-the-art facilities of Central I and Central II Elementary School Buildings were introduced and undertaken and the Department of Education’s Division Office were constructed at a cost of more than P96-million hrough loans from the Philippine National Bank.

The city mayor said that when he assumed office in 1998, there was not much left in the government coffers,
“What we inherited were the millions of pesos in unpaid financial obligations from unremitted BIR premiums, GSIS premiums and other contractual obligations. Our local revenue in 1998 was only 16.9-million pesos. Good thing, our Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) reached 149.8-million pesos,” he said.

He added: “Our total revenue therefore for 1998 was 166.7-million pesos. Our local revenues rose to 40.8-million pesos while our IRA rose to 262.2-million pesos or a total of 303-million pesos which is almost double that of 1998.”

Resuello likewise announced that the four giant companies who came to the city, Magic, Jollibee, McDonalds and the old CSI Supermarket paid a total of about 1-million pesos in business taxes last year.

Resuello finally cited what he called his “major accomplishment” in the field of infrastructure for the city, implementing a total of P1,281,971,438.27 worth of various infrastructure projects, considered by many of his townmates and outsiders as “unprecedented” in the political history of the city. Among this was the successful flood control program iinitiated when he assumed office as mayor in 1998. .