CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda expressed hope that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will reaffirm the administration’s commitment to transparent infrastructure development as well as sustained investments in healthcare, education, agriculture, livelihood, and employment during his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Pineda said she expects the President to continue reforms that promote accountability in infrastructure implementation, particularly in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), to ensure that government resources are spent on projects that respond to the needs of the communities.
“Linisin lang ang DPWH. Sana wala nang maullit na flood control na dapat higpitan. Dapat higpitan ang pagba-budget sa DPWH at dapat tutukan. Dapat bawat project nakikita kung mahalaga ba. Sana huwag na maulit ang mga nangyari. Marami kasing unfinished projects,” she pressed.
The governor also pushed for stronger participation of local government units (LGUs) in identifying and recommending infrastructure projects, saying development planning should start from the barangay level through municipalities and provinces before reaching the Regional Development Council.
“Ang magre-recommend dapat barangay, municipality and province ang mag-submit sa Provincial Development Council. Hindi yung naisip lang ng isa, ginagawa na kahit hindi naman priority,” Pineda said.
She welcomed the administration’s move to involve LGUs more closely in infrastructure planning, noting that local governments are in the best position to determine projects that will have the greatest impact on their communities.
“Sabi ko dapat ang sinabi ni Presidente [Marcos] na nakikialam ang LGU sa paggawa ng development lalo sa infrastructure, dapat ituluy-tuloy yan. Hindi naman sila and contractor, titingnan lang nila kung ano ang priority para hindi na masayang ang budget,” she added.
Beyond infrastructure, Pineda urged the national government to sustain healthcare reforms, particularly by strengthening the implementation of zero-balance billing and expanding the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation benefits to reduce the financial burden on patients.
She also cited the importance of preventive healthcare, saying programs that provide maintenance medicines to patients with chronic illnesses help prevent more serious health conditions and reduce long-term medical expenses for families.
Looking beyond the President’s remaining years in office, Pineda expressed hope that national investments in healthcare, education, agriculture, livelihood, and employment would continue and be further expanded.
The governor also underscored the need to attract more investments that can generate jobs, saying employment remains one of the country’s major concerns alongside social services.
Pineda likewise thanked the Marcos administration for ensuring that Pampanga continues to receive assistance under various national government programs, saying the province has benefited from subsidies and development projects alongside other LGUs nationwide.
“Dito naman sa Pampanga, okay kami kasi hindi naman kami nakakalimutan kapag may subsidy na pinamimigay. Lahat ng buong Pilipinas, pantay-pantay kami. Lahat naman binibigyan nya,” she said.
She expressed hope that succeeding administrations would continue giving priority to programs that improve access to healthcare, education, employment, livelihood, and agricultural development, citing that sustained collaboration between the national government and LGUs is essential in achieving inclusive and responsive development.
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