Davocc exec vows to work hard for new province

By Eldie S. Aguirre,
Davao del Sur Bureau Chief

MALITA, Davao Occidental – Incumbent Davao del Sur Governor Claude Bautista, who was also proclaimed as the governor-elect in Davao Occidental has vowed to work hard in pushing his new territory into a world-class local government unit in the country.

“Expect that I will double or even triple my efforts to improve this province in the soonest possible time to show the world that this last frontier in the Southern Philippines is a place that our people can be proud of,” Bautista said after his proclamation on Tuesday as the first local chief executive of Davao Occidental.

“One of my plans is to develop our mountain ranges, the agriculture sector and to provide financial assistance to small farming communities so they could earn a living and able to send their children to schools. And this includes the fisherfolks who also needs the help of our government,” Bautista said.

Bautista also plans to purchase vehicles that could be used to traverse even the most remote places of the province as he wanted to reach out all the sectors in the community through emersion.

“My people will no longer risk of traveling from far flung areas just to see me in the provincial capitol. I will be the one to go to them, perhaps, sleep at the places to listen to their sentiments where I could make appropriate actions to solve their problems. I think this is what the people wanted the government right at their doorsteps,” the governor said.

On the other hand, Bautista who is still the governor of Davao del Sur until June 30 promised to distribute food packs and rice to the victims of the long drought that hit the province. He also wanted to prioritize the pending implementation of water systems in some villages of Davao del Sur.

Davao Occidental was created on October 28, 2013 through RA 10360.