Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay on Wednesday asked new members of the City Council to support reforms and innovations being pushed by her administration to raise the quality of life in the city.
“Given a fresh mandate, I am asking for your full cooperation so that we can continue to promote inclusivity and provide the best public service to the people of Makati,” Binay said during the first session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
The city chief executive also thanked the people of Makati for their trust and support especially during the eight-month campaign before the May 13 elections.
“Now is the start of a new chapter for us in order to fast-track progress in Makati,” she said.
“We need to push through with the digitalization of Makati for us to be considered as the country’s first certified Smart City that is fully capable of providing efficient, transparent, and first-rate services to Makatizens,” Binay added.
The mayor expressed optimism that the city government will be able to speed up the implementation of initiatives aimed to fast-track the city’s progress and transformation into a Smart City.
“With the new set of councilors, I am very confident and assured that we are now on the same track. Let us help one another. Together let us promote a better quality of life here in Makati,” Binay said.
She pointed out the need to conceptualize and pass new reforms and innovative ways aimed at improving quality of life, as well as raising the city’s competitiveness as a premier investment destination.
“Within the four walls of the Session Hall, let us start anew in crafting reforms, ordinances, and programs that will bring greater prosperity to our Makatizens,” Binay said.
“I know that our job will be difficult, but I believe that if we all work together, we will succeed in achieving more ambitious goals that will accelerate the transformation of Makati into one of Asia’s most progressive cities,” she added.
The inaugural session of the Makati City Council was led by Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo as presiding officer. Rep. Luis Campos of the second district, Councilor Cheche Pablo-Santos of Mandaluyong City, City Administrator Claro Certeza, and the heads of the city departments, offices and institutions also attended the session.
The new Sangguniang Panlungsod of Makati is composed of 18 City Councilors, with eight from each of the two districts, the Liga ng mga Barangay president, and the Chairman of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation of Makati.
From District 1, the City Councilors are Virgilio Hilario, Jr., Anna Alcina Yabut, Luis Javier, Jr., Jose Villena IV, Martin John Pio Arenas, Armando Padilla, Rene Andre Saguisag, and Camille Puno-Ramos.
The City Councilors from District 2 are Kristina Sarosa, Arnold Cruz, Dennis Almario, Benedict Baniqued, Maria Dolores Arayon, Leo Magpantay, Shirley Aspillaga, and Israel Cruzado.
Liga ng mga Barangay president Maribel Vitales and Makati SK Federation president Rodolfo San Pedro Jr. have the last two council seats.
Councilor Armando Padilla has been designated as temporary majority floor leader.
In her speech at the session, the mayor also presented the highlights of her first term in office, including recent developments in digital initiatives undertaken by the city through public-private partnerships.
She announced that the installation of the fiber optic cable loop in all 27 target barangays has been completed under the PPP-led Makati Public Wi-Fi Project. To date, free Wi-Fi connection is available in 24 barangays, and activation of access points for the remaining three barangays is nearly completed.
“Let us also not forget our legacy to the Makatizens, the Makati Subway, which is expected to be completed in 2025. The construction of this intra-city mass transportation will create 10,000 jobs,” she said.
The mayor also laid out some of the priority projects of her administration in the next three years.
“For this year, we are making significant investments in raising the standards of the public education system in the city to improve the competencies of young Makatizens in various fields. I plan to establish a modern and digital school that has fast and reliable computers and Wi-Fi connection to hone the technical skills of students and teachers,” Mayor Binay said.
She also vowed to continue providing free school supplies and gear to Makati public school students, revealing that very soon, they will also be given free nutritious meals so that their parents need not worry about their daily allowance anymore.
“Makatizens can also look forward to better medical services, as the Ospital ng Makati in Malugay in District 1 is expected to be completed in 2022,” she said.
The mayor also reiterated plans to establish Urgent Care services in barangay health centers to provide immediate relief to patients, aside from the continuing upgrading of medical equipment at Ospital ng Makati in Pembo.
She also cited another project in the pipeline, a public columbarium that offers free cremation and inurnment services to city residents.
The mayor stressed that in order to accomplish all of its plans, the city needed a “strong and stable financial base.” She pointed out a number of measures undertaken by the city government to simplify transactions at City Hall and boost its competitiveness as an investment destination.
These include the establishment of the “Business One-Stop Shop” on the ground floor of the Makati City Hall Building 2, which has facilitated the processing of applications and payments and issuance of licenses, clearances, and permits.
Also being developed is an enhanced business permit and licensing system or e-BPLS, a computerized system that will provide easy access to business permits through various platforms.
