Most (if not all) governments disappoint, don't they? Or are we expecting so much from them that we feel they are not delivering enough?
I'm not sure but people's trust has somehow wavered, and most have something to say about theirs - good and bad. I do too, but ain't going to rant on this post because nothing would change, or is there? So yeah, this is just a talk.
We live in a region on one of the largest islands in the Philippines (Luzon). The major livelihoods for most towns here are in the agricultural industry, mining, and tourism. Our province is one of the country's leading producers of highland vegetables and yes, gold.
While there have been improvements over the years, at least in the number of farm-to-market roads connecting various remote villages to the town centers and markets, more infrastructures and upgrades are still needed.
With over 119 million population (13 towns), the region has only 5 district hospitals. While my town has two (a government-owned one which I have not set foot on and another private one that I have been to a few times), they lack some medical equipment and facilities (i.e. MRI scanners, intensive care, etc) hence, they can't provide services to those in need.
[Mart Production]The town doesn't have a dialysis center either. With the rising number of diabetic patients, most travel to the province capital, the city, or the neighboring province for regular treatments.
The funny thing (not so!) is that our current governor was a resident doctor in the town's public hospital so people expected he would prioritize improving healthcare facilities here. He is now in his second term yet the hospital is still lacking.
Thankfully, various private clinics in town help cater to those needing minor medical care.
While more village access roads have been opened in the last 5-10 years, especially in remote places, some are not concrete so they are unsafe during the rainy season. With the dangerous terrains in most areas, those roads have to be improved (i.e. cementing, widening, safety barrier installations, and some even need rerouting).
When we moved here to Lil Kingdom in 2018, about 300 meters of our access road was not paved so only 4-wheel drive cars or trucks can use it, especially when it rains. It was not ideal for smaller vehicles because they could get stuck in the mud.
[Tyres were always muddy.Thankfully, it has been fixed and cemented. We (the residents of this small community) willingly funded its improvements, instead of waiting for the government to make things happen.
I don't know how things work in other places, but most projects here go through a lot of hands and then finally to contractors, so a huge chunk of the budget would get lost along the way (SOPs, etc) before it arrives in the locality. It would be lucky if 30% of the funding would be used where it is intended.
There are several public (primary and secondary) schools in town. The largest was turned into a university more than a decade ago. For some reason, they scrapped the high school department leaving over a thousand students with no choice but to move to private schools, others flocked to the city.
[School fence along the street down the valley].A new secondary school was established in the valley, but the number of students grew (some coming from other towns) over the last few years and the school could no longer accommodate more.
2-3 years ago, parents and teachers initiated a solicitation drive where donations were used to construct school rooms. Yet more were coming so they had to do a screening process and those who did not pass had no other option but to move and study in the city or other places.
So obviously, the local government needs to do something about it if they are to cater to the growing population of high schoolers. It would be another disappointment if this won't be solved over the next few years.
Yes, these 3 are the major areas that need the most attention. And we will have to see how things will go in the next few years. Hopefully, it will be for the better.
Lead photo edited on Canva. Other images are my own. 25042024/20:22ph
