Palayan poised to be a techno hub
A city that remained in economic backwater for so long is poised to become Nueva Ecija's techno hub. It took a mayor, albeit a political neophyte with a degree in nursing, to make Palayan a progressive city.
In 2006, Adrianne Mae Joson Cuevas, then an entrepreneur, bought a farm in Palayan, while her husband, a contractor, was involved in the construction of the new provincial capitol. When the landmark building was finally inaugurated, Palayan was still lacking in road infrastructure and potable water. Meanwhile, she ran for a seat in the city council and won, then for mayor. Now, serving her second term as mayor, Cuevas and the provincial government are seeing the rise of the P1.5 billion-Palayan city business hub, which will include office, hotel and retail spaces and generate some 18,000 jobs.
“My vision is to make Palayan the government capital of the province,” vows Mayor Cuevas, who hopes to see the completion of the one-stop shop of government services in the new business hub. The city can then host many national offices.
Cuevas' involvement with Palayan began when she started a foundation to provide medical needs for the then fifth-class municipality. Coming from a well-to-do family, she wanted to give back through community service. She was asked to run for councilor and then subsequently mayor in 2013.
When Cuevas assumed her post as mayor, Palayan was mired in debt, among them P100 million from the Pag-Ibig Fund on a failed housing project. Moreover, the barangays were inaccessible due to unpaved or impassable roads and a dilapidated bridge. The technical vocational school had lost its government accreditation due to poor facilities and lack of qualified teachers. The medical facility was an old infirmary with no functioning medical equipment and a medical doctor on call. From her own pocket, Cuevas had to shell out the gasoline allowance for a rambling ambulance.
Cuevas immediately worked on the basics. With minimal amount of government funds and help from volunteers, she was able to complete 20 kilometers of paved roads . She asked the barangay officials to contribute for labor fees; her husband lent equipment and trucks while the city provided the cement and other materials. Today, the city has been acquiring more equipment so that it can continue its own infrastructure projects instead or bidding it out to subcontractors, a practice which is open to corruption.
Palayan then provided the pipes and fittings for the water while the water district installed the connection at no cost to benefit the first 1,000 households.
Aside from making Palayan the provincial seat of power, Cuevas envisions the city as a technology center complemented by schools that will train the future generation.
“The challenge is to show companies that our province is rich in talents that they need for their facilities,” she says.
Cuevas' education program emphasizes information and communication technology. Palayan City Institute of Technology (PCIT) was again recognized by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) after its facilities were upgraded and qualified instructors were hired. The city provides free education at PCIT and likewise job placements for the graduates who are accredited by TESDA.
Most schools now have computer labs to enable students to develop technical skills.
Cuevas initiated a call center program which has some 600 students. Many of its graduates are now working in Manila, Clark and Tarlac. She also revived welding and pipe fitting program which has provided work for students in Subic and Bataan. Moreover, some of the graduates are working overseas. She recently added an English proficiency program to make the Palayanos more competitive.
One of her important projects is improving the physical environment and send qualified teachers to day-care centers that function like pre-school.
A registered nurse by training, Cuevas prioritized healthcare. The renovated city health center improved its pharmacy and hired doctors to be serve at all hours. One of her donations was an ambulance to complement the one given by the Philippine Charity and Sweepstake office.
Even before President Duterte made his anti-drug crusade a national policy, Cuevas held annual summits on finding solutions for drug abuse. According to the Philippine National Police records, it was only in her term when drug dealers were arrested and tried under rule of law.
Since Nueva Ecija was vulnerable to natural calamities, the city invested on equipment and vehicles and girded rescue team. Cuevas' foresight enabled Palayan to become a safe haven by hosting evacuees from neighboring towns.
With a soft heart for senior citizens, she pushed for their pension with the Department of Welfare and Social Development, provided Philhealth insurance, and honor them during their birthdays. She had a portion of the city hall turned into an audio-visual room for free weekly movie screenings.
The city acquired a huge property called Barangay Managahan to give informal settlers the opportunity to own the land where they've been living in for years. Plans are afoot to replicate that system in three other barangays.
To improve the business environment, Cuevas turned the city hall into a one-stop shop for taxpayers. Entrepreneurs in small and medium-size businesses can be assisted in a special counter.
“This is more of an advocacy than a job. Being a mayor is not the means for livelihood but to serve the public,” says Cuevas.
She maintains that Palayan's development lies in the honest and efficient
delivery of services by the city hall employees. To improve the work environment, she initiated a values and continuing education and built a cafeteria to replace a make-shift nipa hut. The cafeteria is managed by the employee cooperative.
Her success is also attributed her delegating responsibility to department heads, thus motivating them to excel in their work.
Leading by example, Cuevas has averted any form of dishonesty. “Corruption for me is taking money of the people for one's benefit. Corruption is also not giving the right service people deserve. Corruption is also not keeping the people ahead of your own interest.”
Another challenge is balancing work and family life. Cuevas' work takes her away from her husband and children who are based in Metro Manila. Fortunately, the family has been supportive of her endeavors.
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Congratulations to Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teshiba Tulfo-Teo for coming out with a nice promo that takes off from the previous Dept. of Tourism’s “It’s More Fun in the Philippines”. The one-minute video clip shows a young traveler, Jack Ellis, touring the Enchanted River in Hinatuan, Surigao, hearing a food vendor addressing him as “ Anak.” The young man asks his companion what “anak” means. When told it means “my child,” the foreigner is amazingly pleased. Then come the promo words: “When you’re with Filipinos, you are family.” A very catchy promo indeed.
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When Nina Santamaria, one of second- generation owners of Bangus Specialty Restaurant learned that my brother from Australia was having dinner at my place in Pasig with his fiancée Merlinda Sevilla of Ipil, Zamboanga, and her aunt and uncles , she sent over two bilaos of food – Pancit Bam-I, and my forever favorite Maja Blanca. Thanks, Nina.
Nina runs her own private architectural firm, but spends time helping her aunt, Erlinda Yap, plan new dishes for the restaurant’s Pampanga-style cooking offerings. Aside from bangus dishes, there’s crispy pata, bulalo, chicken relleno, chicken chicharon, and other meat dishes. Nina says food for the Lent season is being planned and can be picked up by calling (02)7253038. If you’re at the MOA, or Greenhills Shopping Center’s Connecticut cark park, drop in at Bangus Specialty Restaurant, a favorite of balikbayans, OFWs, working gals like us, and diners from plush villages.
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