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 State of City Report
2008-07-10
TAKING THE LEAD, STAYING AHEAD
2008 State of the City Report
City Mayor Arlene Arcillas-Nazareno
10 July 2008
City Hall Building, City of Santa Rosa
Laguna, Philippines
Twenty years ago, Santa Rosa is a little-known, rural town east of
Metro Manila with a very laidback and rustic economy amass with
sprawling agricultural lands. But with the opening of the South Luzon
Expressway, opportunities for the town also opened up as the new
highway provided access to local and foreign investors seeking an
alternative location to the already congested Metro Manila.
Fast
forward to 2004, Santa Rosa was converted into a city due mainly to the
influx of locators who invested in our industrial and special economic
zones. From an idyllic, sleepy community, Santa Rosa steadily
transformed into a bustling industrial and commercial city.
Today, our city is now among the most admirable and enviable location for both local and foreign investors.
Milestones
We are now the Motor City of the Philippines being host to four car
manufacturers with a combined manpower pool of 2,991 people and a total
production output of 698,859 units as of April 2008.
We have
now positioned the City as the Investment Hub of South Luzon being host
to four PEZA-registered industrial estates that provide employment to
86,940 of our people and contributing almost one billion dollars to our
country's export earnings.
We have also been recently named
as the ICT Hub of Laguna and the whole of Calabarzon. In fact, the City
Government was instrumental in the formation of the Laguna Information
Network and Knowledge in Information Technology or LINK-IT, a private
entity that will lead the way for our City to become one of the
country's premiere and globally-competitive ICT centers.
The
City of Santa Rosa is now among the next wave cities of the Philippines
and is ranked among the top 10 cities by the Department of Trade and
Industry. This position will be reinforced more as more business
process outsource or BPO companies are looking to locate to our city.
Aside from INFONXX, which now has its headquarters in Barangay Santo
Domingo, Teletech is opening soon at the Robinsons Place in Barangay
Tagapo. Convergys is planning to start operating within the year as
soon as its offices in Barangay Santo Domingo are completed.
Living Our Dreams
We are now a city of 266,943 people, increasing by 43.8% from the
185,633 population in 2000 brought about by the large influx of
migrants seeking residence and employment in Santa Rosa. And we may yet
see another wave of in-migration as new development projects are
underway.
Three master-planned communities will rise in our city
by next year. The 1,600-hectare Nuvali of Ayala Land will house an IT
campus that could enhance our position as the ICT hub of Calabarzon.
Eton City is the 1,000 hectare project of the Lucio Tan Group tagged as
Makati of the South. The 300-heactare Greenfield City is being
developed into a residential and commercial district. All these
translate into new employment and livelihood opportunities, new and
better residences and office spaces.
In addition to these, our
present locators are expanding their operations. Toyota Motor
Philippines is building additional plants, while Consolidated
Industrial Gases Inc. has just opened its new plant.
And aside
from industrial and commercial development, we are now seeing
developments in the medical sector as two new private medical centers
were recently opened. The Santa Rosa Hospital and Medical Center in
Barangay Balibago and the Southern Luzon Hospital and Medical Center in
Barangay Don Jose are both tertiary hospitals with state-of-the-art
medical facilities and equipment. These two, along with the New Sinai
MDI Hospital, which recently celebrated its anniversary as a tertiary
hospital, complement our public health care program offered by the
Santa Rosa Community Hospital and will open up opportunities for our
City to venture into the booming medical tourism industry.
This
is the state of our city today. We are now, in a sense, living our
dreams. The City of Santa Rosa is gaining its competitiveness and is
now positioned to take on the challenges of the future. Let us see the
facts on how we performed over the past year of my administration.
Finance
o
In terms of fiscal management, I am happy to report that we have just
reached the PhP 1 billion mark in terms of revenue. Thanks to our
finance team, our PhP 1,0666,672,325.15 income in 2007 has put us at
par with the major cities of Calamba, Batangas, Antipolo and Puerto
Princesa in Calabarzon and in the league of the cities in Metro Manila.
o
The increase in our revenue is reflective of our sound fundamentals and
fiscal policies. While the rate of increase is not as high as the
previous years since 2007 is an election year, our income trend shows a
decline in our reliance on the Internal Revenue Allotment. From 29.06%
in 2005 and 27.00% in 2006, our current IRA of 248,893,123.00
represents only 26.66% of our total revenue. This means that 73.34% of
our revenue that comes from tax collections and business operations is
the result of the efficiency in our revenue collection.
o
Our efficiency in revenue collection will further be enhanced once the
tax mapping project under the Logofind grant program of the Department
of Finance is completed. We have to be proud because the Santa Rosa
City Computerization Project is considered by the Bureau of Local
Government Finance-Department of Finance as a first of its kind in
Luzon since it will be the first real property tax and business tax
administration system that is assisted by geographical information
system. Right now, the offices of the city treasurer, city assessor and
business permit and licensing have already been interlinked and the
city government personnel tasked to sustain the tax mapping system have
already been properly trained.
o Also, we have reduced public
expenditures from 934,880,446.17 to 821,714,735.69, thus creating
savings instead of deficit. This savings have given us the opportunity
to reward our loyal civil servants, all 1,831 of them, with cash
bonuses. In fact, this July the City Government is committed to
increasing by 10% the basic salary of our government employees.
Health
o
In the health sector, we currently have seven private hospitals, 56
private clinics and 49 private dental clinics that complement the
health services of our public hospital and public health centers.
o
Our public health care system continues to provide maternal care, child
nutrition care, health education programs, feeding programs, free
cataract operation, fogging operations, and even free eyeglasses for
senior citizens.
o The Santa
Rosa Community Hospital is also being upgraded. We have already
finished the construction of a new surgery wing, and soon the expansion
of the hospital to accommodate more patients will be started. The
hospital has also recently received new medical equipment from Toyota
Motor Philippines that would improve further its medical services to
our constituents.
o In
caring for our children's health, around 8,000 children have been
fully immunized in 2007. In combating measles, 28,161 children were
given anti-measles vaccines during the Knock Out Tigdas campaign.
Education
o
In the field of education, our pubic school system now provides
education to a total of 35,949 students in our 17 elementary and 6 high
schools as of academic year 2007-2008.
o Enrolment in our public
elementary schools increased by 1121 this school year to 25,482
students from 24,361 students in academic year 2006-2007. In our public
high schools, 722 students were added to the 9,745 students in
2006-2007, increasing the enrolment to 10,467 students this academic
year.
o The increase in the
number of enrollees in our public school is due mainly to the increase
in the tuition fees. While the City Government is ready to absorb in
our schools the students dislocated by increased tuition fees, we are
still committed to supporting private schools. As such, the City
Government continues to provide scholarships to students enrolled in
private high schools. This year, 75 new students were awarded with
scholarships, making the number of our Iskolars ng Bayan to 357
students.
o At the
pre-school level, we have donated audio-visual equipment to each of our
28 day care centers. This equipment could help our children in day care
centers develop and be at par with their counterparts in private
schools thus preparing them for formal elementary education. In
addition, through our Libreng Aklat Project, 5,000 books were
distributed to our day care centers to serve as aid in learning.
Social Welfare
o
Our social welfare assistance continues in terms of providing financial
assistance for livelihood, providing counseling to women and family,
providing shelter to children in conflict with the law.
o
The Gender and Development Focal Team is now developing programs for
women that would empower them. Child welfare programs are now in place;
so are programs for the disabled with the proposed creation of the
People With Disability Office.
Housing
o
As regards the relocation of residents along the PNR right-of-way that
will be affected by the Southrail Project, we are already halfway in
resettling the beneficiaries of the housing project in Southville 4 in
Barangay Caingin. Around 2,000 families have already been transferred
and awarded housing units. The rest will be transferred as soon as
construction of the housing units has been completed.
o
The school building, health center and police outpost are all being
constructed. In the meantime, a number of units have been temporarily
allocated as classrooms for some of the children who have transferred
by the site. The Local Inter-Agency Committee, composed of the various
local and national agencies, is closely monitoring the developments.
o
Also, social preparation and post-relocation activities are being
undertaken in order to assist the relocatees adjust to their new
environment. We are partnering with Gawad Kalinga with respect to
values formation, while the forms livelihood programs are being studied.
o
As for the other informal settlers in the City, the City Housing and
Urban Development Office is currently negotiating with landowners in
acquiring properties that could be used for housing projects under the
Community Mortgage Program.
Environment
o
In environment management, we have just launched the pilot ecosan
toilet in Caingin Elementary School. This is the first of a series of
UDDT toilets that the City Government will construct with the
assistance of our twin city, Enkopping Kommun of Sweden. The Ecological
Sanitation (ECOSAN) project is aimed at utilizing "waterless
toilets"¯ to address the water pollution from untreated domestic
wastewater.
o The City
Government has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Planning
and Development Collaborative Office (PADCO) for the implementation of
the Philippine Sanitation Alliance Project under the technical
assistance grant of the United States Agency for International
Development. This project is aimed at establishing sewage and septage
management in the City.
o
The Community Carbon Finance Project (Carbonshed Project), which is a
grant from the World Bank coursed through the Laguna Lake Development
Authority, is aimed at reducing the greenhouse gas emissions into the
atmosphere. The City Government has already signed a Memorandum of
Agreement with the Laguna Lake Development Authority on the initial
phase of this project.
o The
Local Government International Cooperation and Promotion Project called
Environmental Improvement System in the Spirit of the Ube Model in
the City of Santa Rosaā€¯ is a training grant from the Council of Local
Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) in Japan. The said
project is administered through the local government of Ube City in
Yamaguchi Prefecture and the Ube City NGO, UBE-IECA in Japan.
Representatives from the Ube-IECA had visited the city last September 3
to 7, 2007 to gather data for the project. Initially, the project is
aimed at training the staff of the city ENRO on environmental
management systems patterned after the Ube Model.
Peace and Order
o
As to peace and order, the crime volume in our City in 2007 increased
to 195 from 127 in 2006. However, we should not regard this increase an
existence of lawlessness in our City. The increase in crime volume is
proof that our police force is working, arresting criminals, filing
cases and ensuring that peace and order is maintained. In fact, the
crime solution efficiency of our police force jumped from 81.90% in
2006 to 92.31% in 2007; meaning of the 195 cases of crime, 180 have
been solved. This is despite the fact that our police force is composed
of only 81 policemen, a ration of one policeman for every 2,902
persons, which is far from the standard of one policeman for every 500
residents.
o Our SWAT Team,
the first formed in Calabarzon, is now operational and has been
deployed after undergoing rigid 50-day training. This SWAT Team is now
putting into practice the skills they have acquired in handling
high-profile crimes.
o And
for our efforts in providing logistical and financial support to our
local police we were given recognition by the Philippine National
Police Region IV during its 17th anniversary.
o
We have also entered into a pledge of cooperation with the Laguna
Technopark Association to strengthen and develop coordinated
approaches, operational mechanisms and policies to ensure rapid and
effective disaster response.
Taking the Lead, Staying Ahead
It was not by mere luck that Santa Rosa was able to obtain our
stature in so short a time. Nor is its strategic location as a gateway
to Metro Manila and South Luzon the main reason that propelled its
rapid development. These factors admittedly contributed a great deal in
Santa Rosa's attraction of investors. But the main reason for our
development is our human capital is our people - whose sacrifices are
now being rewarded.
Indeed, cityhood is the coming of age of
Santa Rosa. Our city has ripened and the people are enjoying the fruits
of this ripening.
Now, jobs are readily available to residents and
even to migrants. Technology know-how is accessible to all, education
is given greater priority with scholarship grants not only in public
but also in private schools, public service is delivered promptly and
more importantly, more people have been uplifted from poverty.
Even
with all these accomplishments, we have not stopped with our
development initiatives in the same way that capital investments have
not stopped pouring in. We continue to gain more and more growth as we
move on to our fifth year.
As business and employment
climate steadily develop, the City Government is tasked with a bigger
responsibility to sustain the influx of investors. A more effective
leadership is called for, and yours truly is responding as I recognize
that more benefits will come our way if the city government will deal
fairly and equitably with our investment partners and with our people.
All
these benefits we derive from becoming a city will continue as I
promise to move towards more development initiatives that could further
propel Santa Rosaā€™s rapid growth.
We have clearly set our
vision and mission for the City, and we encapsulated this in the slogan
SERBISYONG MAKATAO, LUNGSOD NA MAKABAGO. Our vision statement is
comprehensive and reveals that we desire to bring genuine development
to the City and provide all the necessary services to our people.
With
a clear vision and solid accomplishments our City has the opportunity
to take the lead and stay ahead in our region and even in the entire
country. In this regard, we have to put elements in our vision. We have
to put substance to call to action. These elements are geared towards
the future of our children, ang ANAK SANTA ROSA.
Let me therefore enumerate our goals as ANAK ng SANTA ROSA.
o
Angat At Nangunguna sa Kaalaman. Let us strengthen our school system to
make our public schools as good as the best private schools in the
region, from the elementary up to the tertiary level. We have to ensure
that aside from our free education, that no child is left behind.
o
Angat At Nangunguna sa Kabuhayan. Let us continue to provide employment
and livelihood opportunities to our people in order to build
self-reliant communities.
o
Angat At Nangunguna sa Kalakalan. As investments continue to pour in,
let us put in place measures that would further increase investor
confidence in our City and develop skills among our constituency that
industries require.
o Angat
At Nangunguna sa Kalikasan. Not only should we build a modern city but
let us also start to build a greener Santa Rosa.
o Angat At Nangunguna sa Kalinisan. Let us improve the quality of our air and water, and manage our solid waste well.
o
Angat At Nangunguna sa Kalusugan. Let us ensure that the nutritional
needs of our children are met, ensure that families have food on their
table.
o Angat At Nangunguna
sa Kultura at Kalinangan. From our rich cultural heritage, let us
transform Santa Rosa into a Creative City that appreciates history,
music, culture and arts amidst economic development.
o
Angat At Nangunguna sa Kalakarang Pampubliko. Let us build a more
efficient and effective governance that is pro-active and responsive to
our people's needs and train our civil servants in order for us to
attain our goals.
These are our goals, and we shall put in place
programs and programs so Rosenians will feel the benefits of the rapid
development of our City.
Lahat tayo ay ANAK SANTA ROSA. Siguruhin natin na ang ating Lungsod ay magiging ANGAT AT NANGUNGUNA.
Mabuhay po tayong lahat. Maraming salamat po.
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 Santa Rosa City’s Annual Income
2008-06-13
Santa Rosa City’s Annual Income Reaches P1 Billion
CITY OF SANTA ROSA, LAGUNA – This city has breached the P1 billion mark in terms of income as the City Treasury reported a gross revenue of P1,066,672,325.15 for the fiscal year 2007. Of the total revenue, P933,743,599.70 is allocated for the General Fund, while P132,928,725.45 was intended for the Special Education fund.
The 2007 income represented a modest 6.89% increase from the P997,875,637.01 total income generated in 2006. The increase is almost double the income P625,180,794.88 the local government unit generated in 2004, the year that Santa Rosa was converted into a city.
According to the City Treasury, 42% or P446,373,449.37 of the total revenue collection came from business license tax. Among the top business tax payers for 2007 were Toyota Motor Phils. Corp., Honda Cars Phils., Inc., Ford Group Phils., Panasonic Industrial Asia PTE Ltd., Phil. Branch, Monde Nissin Corp., Nissan Motor Phils., Metro Manila Shopping Mecca Corp., Supervalue Inc., San Miguel Foods, Inc., and SM Prime Holdings, Inc.
Real property tax collection, on the other hand, totaled P272,477,117.74 or 26% of the total annual collection. The top real property tax payers were Coca-Cola Bottlers Phils., Inc., Pilipinas Nissan, Inc., Toyota Motor Phils., Inc., Monde Nissin Corp., Aichi Forging Co. of Asia, Inc., SM Prime Holdings, Inc., Honda Cars, Phils. Inc., Amtrust Holdings, Inc., Panasonic Manufacturing Phil. Corp., and Greenfield Development Corp.
The remaining collection came from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) which amounted to P248,893,123.00 (23%) and other sources which totaled P98,928,635.04 (9%).
City Treasurer Laura Sy attributed the revenue increase to the diligence of the City Business and Licensing Office (BPLO) and the City Assessor’s Office. She also cited the cooperation of the businesses and real property owners in paying their dues to the City Government.
Mayor Arlene Arcillas-Nazareno, meanwhile, is optimistic that the steady increase in the City’s revenue will be a continuing trend. She said that with the implementation of the Local Government Finance and Development Project or Logofind, revenue collection will be more efficient which will result in better social services and infrastructure for the city’s 266,943 population.
Santa Rosa City is the fastest rising investment center in South Luzon with three large-scale PEZA accredited economic zones. It is now the center of the country’s automotive industry and is host to the assembly plants of four car manufacturers. The City is also projected to be among the major ICT hub in the country with major players, in the business process outsource industry, including Teletec and Convergys, opting to relocate in the city.
World class master-planned communities such as Greenfield City, Nuvali of the Ayala Group and Eton City of the Lucio Tan Group are currently under development and are expected to attract more investors.
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