By Ruby R. Bernardino, PIO

THE Provincial Development Council (PDC) composed of all component municipalities and cities of Pangasinan convened last Monday in Lingayen for a strategic planning of the province’s common vision and plans at the Consuelo Hotel and Restaurant here.

The conference, which was the first to be conducted after a lapse of 13 years, according to the Office of the Governor, sought to inform and familiarize members on the major development plans of each local government unit (LGU) to guide them in formulating a common action agenda for the province.

Gov. Amado T Espino who called for the PDC meeting, rallied the officials and planners of the towns and cities to cooperate with the provincial government in making Pangasinan as the ‘best place to invest, visit, live, work and raise a family.’

“This gathering is an opportunity for us in the provincial government to know what is really happening in the grassroots level,” he disclosed.

On the part of the province, the governor cited the ten major thrusts of his administration particularly peace and order, affordable, health care, adequate and high quality education, tourism development, improved agriculture, better job and income opportunities, socialized and affordable housing, sports and youth development, mega-infra projects and special economic zone.

Provincial Administrator Rafael F. Baraan later briefed the members thru a powerpoint presentation on the real situation of the province.

He said basic reforms were initiated by the provincial government for a start. This included the renovation of offices within the Capitol compound, upliftment of the workforce and the massive renovation of fishfarm facilities for an improved and increased agricultural productivity.

Affordable and improved health care services was launched, he added, such as the distribution of health cards to identified indigent families and renovation of all fourteen government controlled district and community hospitals located in the different towns of Pangasinan.

To date, a total of 26,000 heads of indigent families from 4th to 5th class municipalities are also now insured which is about 95 percent of the total number of indigent families duly identified by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO).

Mega infra projects will include the upgrading and renovation of Lingayen airport and the establishment of an international seaport in Sual. Survey plan and project study undertaken by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is expected to be finished next week, he reported to the PDC in session (