In a recent news briefing, Mayor Dela Fuente said that their special educational fund (SEF) alone, since her first term rose from P1.6 million to P10.5 million annually, surpassing other larger towns like Dinalupihan and Hermosa.
“We serve our people well by knowing what they really need. In giving the services due them, they do their obligations to the municipal government in return, by paying the right taxes,” the second-termer mayor told this correspondent.
This town is host to big industries like the Bataan 20/20 Paper Mill owned by the Inquirer Group and latest investors such as the Charoen Pokphand Foods Philippines Corporation; Tamarind Ridge Subdivision owned by DMCI Homes and the high-end subdivision, Coastal Grove owned by the De Guzman Group of Companies.
Since her first term, Dela Fuente said her outreach program for the town’s 14 barangays dubbed as “Ugnayan sa Barangay” has been proven “successful and effective”. By going out of her office together with the department heads and heads of various national agencies, they conduct dialogs with the people and provide free medical, dental and other services.
In October this year, the lady mayor said that they will be launching a municipal health program targeting mothers at the onset of their pregnancy up to 2 years after giving birth, because they believe that a critical window in the future of a child is right nutrition.
“We will monitor the nutritional needs of a mother and her child. The child’s first 1000 days (from childbirth to two years) we believe, has an enormous impact on the child’s ability to grow and learn and ultimately have the ability to rise out of poverty,” Dela Fuente stressed.
She also said that as the town’s income grows, programs that have long term effects on the health of her constituents, especially the children – the future generation, will have more funds.
According to the Council for the Welfare of Children website, Samal is also a recipient of numerous child-friendly awards including the Presidential Award in 2011.
