President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has recognized the effort of Davao del Sur to maintain peace in the province, improve its healthcare system, and promote digitalization.

President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (RTVM screenshot)

Marcos said this as he graced the 56th ‘Araw ng Davao Del Sur’ celebration and festivities in Digos City on July 1.

In his speech, the President commended the province as the first in the Davao Region to be declared free from insurgency. He noted that Davao del Sur had maintained peace and progress in its communities for the past 56 years.

"Hindi maliit na bagay ‘yan (This is not a small feat)," he said.

"Ang kailangan upang tayo ay magpaganda ng buhay ng ating mga kababayan ay ang kapayapaan. Kaya’t ‘yan ang unang hakbang (What we need to give our people better lives is peace. That's the first step)," he added.

Marcos said that by implementing the Tupad Pangako Program, the province could accomplish peace and progress while helping former rebels reintegrate into society to participate in nation-building.

"I urge all of you to remain determined in promoting peace, in promoting development in your province," he said.

Healthcare system, digitalization

In addition, President Marcos recognized the provincial government of Davao del Sur for its dedication to improving its facilities and healthcare system to serve their constituents better and those from neighboring provinces.

"We have experienced enough of the Covid-19 pandemic and natural disasters [and] we must continue to fortify our health facilities to ensure our people’s health," he said.

The President likewise lauded Davao del Sur for its ongoing digitalization and streamlining of government processes to ensure that they achieve sound fiscal management and bureaucratic efficiency.

He said it was encouraging that the provincial government’s projects are all aligned with his Administration’s Eight-Point Socioeconomic Agenda. Thus, he assured Davao del Sur of the national government's full support in its initiatives.

"With the local government focusing on all aspects of your daily life that we have identified in the national agenda, we can look forward to a boost in local businesses, improved daily transactions, and an overall better quality of life," Marcos said.