The Pasig City local government held on Tuesday, June 5, its 1st 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) Local Advisory Council as part of its efforts to provide improved social services to its citizens and a more people-centered way of governance.
In a set of photos posted on his Facebook page, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto led the council meeting with other city government heads and employees as they discussed the following agenda:
1. Presentation of the Pasig City Status of Implementation as of June 2022
2. Updates on Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Special Cases under the Case Management
3. Update on the Local Advisory Council Resolution 002
4. Pasig City Advisory Council Updates
During his State of the City Address (SOCA) held last July 2, Sotto highlighted his priorities for his second term as mayor of Pasig which include the implementation of the universal healthcare (UHC), improvement of the city's social services, and delivery of a more “people-centered” form of governance to Pasigueños.
The mayor assured his constituents that the city government will be one of the first LGUs (local government units) to implement the UHC.
These include ordinances for a special health fund, mental health, mandatory health-related data reporting of private healthcare providers, dengue vector-control, and the creation of various health councils.
Sotto said they are “on their way” to providing UHC, citing the establishment of the Mega Dialysis Center, and the implementation of zero balance billing in hospitals.
In the next three years, Sotto said he aims to increase the capacity and quality of service of their healthcare centers, and to fix any procurement issues in securing medicines to avoid discrepancies and delays.
They will continue the digitalization and centralization of health-medical records that have been simulated in some pilot barangays in the city. Sotto said they are in the second phase of the program.
There are also plans to convert Pasig City Children’s Hospital (PCCH) into a general hospital in order to cater to more patients and Pasigueños.
For social services, the local government formally launched the Local Senior Pensions (LSP) program on July 2, wherein 16,000 qualified senior citizens will be given P500 per month.
For housing, the mayor reiterated the “no demolition without proper relocation” policy, and the on-going processing of disputed lands in the barangays in the city. Some of the lands that have been bought by the local government are planned for medium or low-rise housing projects.
He also shared that the overall “ambitious goal” or target of the city’s housing program is “zero informal settler families (ISF) within this decade.”
For education, Sotto said he will be working to expand the scholarship program, and further institutionalize the sports development program.
Notably, the local government is also eyeing the construction and renovation of the Pasig City Mind Museum and the improvement of the Pasig City Library.
It is also aiming to be recognized as the “most business-friendly city to attract more businesses and investors of all scales.”
The local government will implement the Pasig City Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (PEIP), and craft the Business Development or Local Economic Development Plan, to include the informal economy in their policies.