Batac has
always played second fiddle to Laoag since time immemorial. And with the
resurgence of San Nicolas as an alternative business hub in the province, the
erstwhile municipality skidded a rung lower.
Shaking free from decades of political dynasty, Batac
voters opted to elect a new mayor with a different surname. The new mayor was
not a political neophyte, mind you; he was as political as any politician. But
the refreshing change in this young city’s political landscape also heralded a
drastic pivot in governance thrust.
Yet in 2016, things in President Ferdinand E. Marcos’
hometown began to change.
Shaking free from decades of political dynasty, Batac
voters opted to elect a new mayor with a different surname. The new mayor was
not a political neophyte, mind you; he was as political as any politician. But
the refreshing change in this young city’s political landscape also heralded a
drastic pivot in governance thrust.
Batac Mayor Albert D. Chua personified the change the
city needed for it to return to relevancy—both politically and economically.
Now a three-year term later, Mr. Chua managed to significantly tilt the city
government towards a more inclusive governance.
From agriculture to education and to health care; up to
caring for senior citizens and gaining a major foothold in this current
tech-savvy world; Mr. Chua has managed to keep everything in balance.
Support for agriculture has increased; as he continues to
find ways for his constituents to land more meaningful and gainful employment.
He has also focused on education by providing a variety of scholarship programs
for tertiary, secondary, and even elementary education. The two-term Batac
mayor also found ways to help those who paved the way for today—the senior
citizens by providing them all the assistance they will need as they navigate
the vagrancies of old age.
In terms of health care, Mr. Chua has assigned a full-time
employee at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center to assist
Batac residents with either advise or outright help in paying for their
hospital fees. Though other towns have already done this, it is a source of
amazement why the local government that hosts the biggest hospital in the
region has only done so now. That was a rhetorical question.
In the environment front, Mr. Chua spearheaded the
construction of a landfill in his city. Waste management is a problem that the
world continues to grapple with. And with consumerism continuing to peak, the
waste problem will not be going anywhere soon. And as the Batac mayor has
foreseen clearly, leaders have to take the necessary steps to combat the
problem and at the same time protect the environment from further degradation.
Batac has now come a long way. From being second fiddle
to the capital city in the province, it has now taken the lead with all the programs
Mr. Chua has rolled out.
And in doing so, he thoroughly proved that Batac is
indeed the “Home of Great Leaders”.
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