ABIGAIL MYRA BENESISTO-CATUCOD

Editor

ARLYN CUI-TEPACE
ROBIN M. CARDENAS
SILVIO P. ABELLA
Writers

SYLMA ENTICO-LUTAO
MOSES D. PARIAL
Contributors

ANALIZA TAN-FLORES
CLENNETTE D. ONG
FELICIDAD ADRIASOLA-ALVAÑIZ
JOSEPH A. ESTANISLAO
SHAILINI C. ALIPOSA
Researchers

ARLYN CUI-TEPACE
Layout Artist

CONRADO G. DE LA CRUZ, JR.

Graphics Artist

ROLANDO L. JAYME
LUDINITO A. ABAYON
Photographers

This report is a product of the collaborative efforts

of the departments and staff of the Provincial
Government of Northern Samar (PGNS).
Acronyms …………………………………………………………… i

Governor’s Message ………………………………………………. ii

Part I - A SNAPSHOT OF NORTHERN SAMAR IN 2000…….. 1

Part II - DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

(2001-2010) ……………………………………………… 2

A. Governance
1. Human Resource Management and
Development ……………………...………………. 5
2. Financial Management .…………………………… 8
3. Partnership Building ……………………………….10
4. Information and Communications Technology…..13
5. Disaster Preparedness and Emergency
Response ……………………….…………………..15
6. Facilities and Infrastructure Development ………. 16
7. Youth and Sports Development…………………… 20
8. Tourism and Culture Promotion …………………...23

B. Poverty Reduction (FLESHER Program)

1. Food Security ………………………………………. 25
2. Livelihood …………………………………………... 28
3. Education …………………………………………… 31
4. Shelter ………………………………………………. 34
5. Health ……………………………………………….. 36
6. Environment ………………………………………... 41
7. Revenue Generation……………………………….. 44

Part III - THE CHALLENGES AHEAD …………………………. 47

 Acronyms
ABAP Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines NAC Nortehanon Access Center
AIP Annual Investment Plan NCC National Computer Center
AusAID Australian Agency for International Development NDCC National Disaster Coordinating Council
BAS Bureau of Agricultural Statistics NGO Non-Government Organization
BEmONC Basic Emergency Obstetric Newborn Care NHA National Housing Authority
BFAR Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources NSCAPF Northern Samar Coalition Against Poverty Foundation
BHW Barangay Health Worker NSCB National Statistical Coordination Board
BIEPD Building Institutional Efficiency and Participatory Development NSCIDC Northern Samar Coconut Industry Development Council
BLGF Bureau of Local Government Finance NSPH Northern Samar Provincial Hospital
CARD Center for Agriculture and Rural Development NSWMC National Solid Waste Management Commission
CBFEWS Community-Based Flood Early Warning System ORC Omnibus Revenue Code
CBFM Community Based Forest Management P/LPEM Provincial/Local Planning and Expenditure Management
CBMS Community-Based Monitoring System PACAP Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program
CEmONC Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Newborn Care PAGASA Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
CIIF Coconut Industry Investment Fund Administration
COA Commission on Audit PAGF Philippines-Australia Governance Facility
CPC Country Program for Children PAHRDF Philippines-Australia Human Resource Development Facility
CPMA Comprehensive Personnel Management Assessment PAMB Protected Area Management Board
CSC Civil Service Commission PAO Provincial Agriculture Office
DAP Development Academy of the Philippines PDC Provincial Development Council
DBM Department of Budget and Management PDCC Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council
DENR Department Environment and Natural Resources PDMU Provincial Disaster Management Unit
DepEd Department of Education PEAP Provincial Educational Assistance Program
DILG Department of Interior and Local Government PEF Peace and Equity Foundation
DOE Department of Energy PGENRO Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources
DOF Department of Finance Office
DOST Department of Science and Technology PEO Provincial Engineer’s Office
DPWH Department of Public Works and Highways PESO Public Employment Service Office
EDF Economic Development Fund PGMA People’s Government Mobile Action
ELAC Environmental Laws Advisory Council PGNS Provincial Government of Northern Samar
EMB Environment Management Bureau Philhealth Philippine Health Insurance Corporation
eNGAS Electronic New Government Accounting System PHRMDO Provincial Human Resource Management and Development
EPI Extended Program on Immunization Office
eRPTS Electronic Real Property Tax System PIMET Provincial Interdepartmental Monitoring and Evaluation Team
ESWM Ecological Solid Waste Management PIPH Provincial Investment Plan for Health
EVRAA Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association PLC Powerline Communications
EXECOM Executive Committee PLDO Provincial Livelihood and Development Office
FAAS Field Appraisal and Assessment Sheets PMS Performance Management System
FG Focal Group PMS-OPES Performance Management System-Office Evaluation System
FGP Fundacion Grameen Pilipinas, Inc PMT Provincial Management Team
FLESHER Food Security, Livelihood, Education, Shelter, Health, PNP Philippine National Police
Environment and Revenue Generation PPDO Provincial Planning and Development Office
FLET Fishery Law Enforcement Teams PPIMM Provincial Planning, Implementation and Monitoring Manual
FMR Farm to Market Road PREC Provincial Research and Extension Center
GAAM Government Accounting and Auditing Manual PSB Provincial School Board
GIS Geographic Information System PSWDO Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office
GK Gawad Kalinga PSWMB Provincial Solid Waste Management Board
GTZ German Technical Cooperation PTCA Parents, Teachers and Community Association
HCAAP Help for Catubig Agricultural Advancement Project PVO Provincial Veterinary Office
HCWM Health Care Without Harm RA Republic Act
HDI Human Development Index RAS Responsive Assistance Scheme
HRIS Human Resource Information System RDC Regional Development Council
HRMD Human Resource Management and Development RDCC Regional Disaster Coordinating Council
ILHZ Inter-Local Health Zone RFM Reimbursable Fund Management
IRA Internal Revenue Allotment RGG Revenue Generation Group
ISSP Information Systems Strategic Plan RHU Rural Health Unit
IT Information Technology RPT Real Property Tax
JBIC Japan Bank for International Cooperation RPTA Real Property Tax Administration
JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency RPU Real Property Unit
LDAP Local Development Assistance Program SEF Special Education Fund
LFC Local Finance Committee SP Sangguniang Panlalawigan
LGU Local Government Unit STC Skills Training Center
MEDCAP Medical and Dental Civic Action Program STRIVE Strengthening Implementation of Visayas Education
MFI Microfinance Institution TLDC Technology and Livelihood Development Center
MIS Management Information System TWG Technical Working Group
MISO Management Information Systems Office UEP University of Eastern Philippines
MOA Memorandum of Agreement UNDP United Nations Development Programme
MRF Materials Recovery Facility UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund
MRGG Municipal Revenue Generation Group WATSAN Water and Sanitation

i
 6 March 2010, Catarman, Northern Samar

It is as if it were only yesterday, so they say.

My first term legally began on July 1, 2001. After I took my oath of office
the day before, I was eager to start my job. Because July 1 was a Sunday, I
had to wait for the following day, July 2, which was a working day.
As had been the practice, there was - and there still is - a flag ceremony for all officers and
employees working in the Provincial Capitol. I decided to appear before the provincial workforce at
the start of the ceremony.
I had expected to come before a happy, if not festive, group. For some reason, after I was
introduced, the applause was sparse and the employees stared at me as if I were an intruder. This
made me nervous and at a loss for words. My message was short and to the point: I asked for
support and cooperation for the next three years of my administration. It was followed by an
applause even more scant than the first.
As it is, almost nine years have passed, and I am now in the last three months of my final and
third term. I have served in the best way I can, made not a few mistakes, and learned many lessons.
But I have no regrets.
On that Monday morning of July 2, 2001, I entered a building whose physical appearance both
disappointed and daunted me. The floors were of rough concrete as were the stairs from the ground
to the second floors. My first trip to a comfort room horrified me. It was as if I had walked into an
abandoned public toilet. Most of the women were either wearing low-heeled shoes or sandals
because they were in peril of slipping on the rough concrete floors.
On the following day, when I visited a few offices, I immediately noticed that the furniture and
equipment had been badly battered by time. I resolved to make the Provincial Capitol and its offices
worthy, not only of the workforce, but also of the public whom we serve.
It did not take weeks for me to know that both the structure and the system of the provincial
government were as old as the province itself, which was founded in 1965. To better serve the
people, I immediately realized that we had to change, reform and innovate.
The process of change has already begun, and I believe the reforms and innovations have
become institutionalized. The many programs and projects chronicled in this end report could not
have and would not have happened without the will, determination and support of the officers and
employees of the provincial government, of whom I am fiercely proud and to whom I am deeply
indebted. This end report, patiently culled and competently organized by the staff, should be a
lasting tribute to the entire PGNS personnel even as it can be a valuable guide for future governors.
I also thank both our local and foreign partners for passionately sharing our vision for Northern
Samar and unselfishly helping us attain it.

RAUL A. DAZA

ii
 Part I: A SNAPSHOT OF NORTHERN SAMAR IN 2000

In 1991, R.A. 7160 (Local Government Code) introduced a major devolution of national government
services, particularly in agriculture, health and welfare, infrastructure, environmental management, and
tourism. Local government units (LGUs) were granted administrative autonomy, a share of revenues from the
national government known as Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), and the power to raise local revenues in
order to augment its financial resources.

However, 10 years after, most LGUs still had not attained their objective of self-determination. By 2001,
they remained financially dependent on the national government through IRA and other subsidies for devolved
services. They discovered that assuming responsibility for basic service delivery and countryside development
requires much more than what the IRA provided. The IRA of most LGUs had gone mostly to maintenance and
operating expense requirements, personnel services, and minimal physical infrastructure. It was therefore not
surprising that economic development and quality service delivery had to take a backseat.

Northern Samar was ranked as the ninth poorest province in 1994 and 1997 with its Human
Development Index (HDI) at 0.457 and 0.482, respectively (Philippine Human Development Reports, United
Nations Development Programme). In 2000, the province’s HDI increased to 0.505, improving Northern
Samar’s ranking to 14th place. In 2000, when the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) released its
pioneer poverty statistics, Northern Samar ranked as the 32nd poorest province.

HDI is a summary measure of the average achievement in a country in three basic dimensions of human
development: longevity, or a long and healthy life, as measured by life expectancy at birth; knowledge, as
measured by basic enrolment ratio (or enrolment ratio of children, seven to 16 years old), high school graduate
ratio of population aged 18 years and above, and functional literacy rate; and standard of living, as measured
by real income per capita. NSCB’s poverty estimates were based on regional menus, prices of agricultural and
non-agricultural commodities, and income and expenditures data.
Photo: Conrado G. de la Cruz Jr.

1
 Part II :
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
(2001-2010)

Photo: Conrado G. de la Cruz Jr.

2
 DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS (2001-2010)
During the inaugural address for his first term of office in 2001, Governor Raul Daza presented his
vision of an improved quality of life for the people of Northern Samar that he sought to achieve through his
development agenda called FLESH or Food Security, Livelihood, Education, Shelter and Health. With the
inclusion of Environment and Revenue Generation in 2004, he fully launched this Poverty Reduction
Program as FLESHER.

The efforts to attain the FLESHER objectives was complemented with governance initiatives,
particularly on human resource management and development, financial management, partnership
building, information and communications technology, disaster preparedness and emergency response,
and support infrastructure and facilities improvement.

All these programs on poverty reduction and governance have created a difference and have
contributed towards the vision that the governor conceived at the start of his administration. The Provincial
Government of Northern Samar (PGNS) under his leadership, in partnership with national government
agencies, NGOs and civil society organizations, and the private sector, takes pride in its notable
accomplishments between 2001 and 2010, which are recognized by both government and non-
government institutions.

Recognitions in the Area of Governance:

 Second among 30 Best Performing Provinces in Good
Governance (2003), National Statistical Coordination
Board (NSCB)
 Reached income threshold of First Class Province
(2007, 2008, 2009), Commission on Audit (COA)
 First LGU in the Philippines to develop and implement a
Performance Management System (2008), Civil Service
Commission (CSC)
 First and only province in Eastern Visayas granted
Level II Accreditation based on CSC Region 8 Director David Cabanag Jr. signs with
Governor Daza the Memorandum of Commitment for the
Comprehensive Personnel accreditation of the provincial government in the Civil
Management Assessment Service Commission. CSC Northern Samar Provincial
Director Rey Albert Uy, other CSC officials and PGNS staff
(2009), CSC-8 witnessed the signing.
 Model Province in Eastern CSC Assistant Commissioner Anicia de Lima
Visayas for Citizen’s Charter congratulates Governor Daza after he handed her a
copy of the PGNS Citizen’s Charter, the first in Region 8.
(2009), CSC-8
 First LGU in Region 8 to craft and implement an
Information Systems Strategic Plan (2005),
National Computer Center (NCC)
 Outstanding Provincial Disaster Coordinating
Council (2007, 2008), RDCC-8
 First LGU in the country to develop an Internal
Control Toolkit/Guide (2009)
 Presidential Award for unwavering support in
the fight of the government against illegal drugs CSC national and Region 8 officials lead the launching of the Citizen’s
Charter of Northern Samar on 8 May 2009.
(2010), Dangerous Drugs Board

3
 DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS (2001-2010)
R e c o g n i t i o n s i n t h e A r e a o f G o v e r n a n c e (continued):
 The only operational UNICEF-donated community radio
station (Huni 102.9 DYNS-FM) in the Philippines, a joint
project of UEP and PGNS (2002), UNICEF
 First LGU in the whole Visayas to establish an IT Skills
Training Center (2005), NCC

Governor Daza and other

provincial officials try their
hand on the newly
installed computers during
UNICEF New York Program Performance Assessment
the opening of the Skills
Training Center on 3 June Team visit DYNS FM, the lone operational community
2005. AusAID First radio in the country , operated jointly by the provincial
Secretary Angus Barnes government and UEP.
and PAHRDF Facility
Director Bob Wilson
attended the event.

Recognitions in the Area of Poverty Reduction:

 One of the ‘Elite 21’ Provinces to have attained Universal Coverage (2009), Philhealth
 Outstanding Provincial Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in Region 8 (2008), Department
of Labor and Employment
 First Province in the Philippines to adopt province-wide
Zero Waste Management Framework (2006), Mother Earth
Foundation and Zero Waste International Alliance Planning
Group
 First Province in Region 8 to formulate a 10-Year
Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan (2009),
National Solid Waste Management Commission
 Second Best Performing Province in Real Property Tax
Governor Daza distributes Philhealth cards to beneficiaries.
Collection in Region 8 (2007, 2008), Bureau of Local
Government Finance (BLGF)
 Best Performing Province in Business Tax Collection in Region 8 (2007, 2008), BLGF
 Best Performing Province in Economic Enterprise Collection in Region 8 (2008), BLGF
 Best Performing Province in Fees and Charges Collection in Region 8 (2008), BLGF
 First Microfinance Council established in the Philippines (2002)
 First Province in Region 8 to organize an operational province-wide Microfinance Institution (MFI),
NSCAPF (Grameen model) (2005)
 Second Best Performing Province in Region 8 in the Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan
Implementation on Nutrition (2009), National Nutrition Council
 First and Only Province in Samar Island that has established a Tissue Culture Laboratory (2003)
 Best Employer in Northern Samar for the Government Sector (2009), Philhealth
 Outstanding Botica ng Barangay in Region 8 - Dalakit, Catarman - provided with P25,000 seed
capital by PGNS (2008), DOH

4
 GOVERNANCE
Human Resource Management and Development

Governor Daza deliberates with members of the Executive Committee issues involving the implementation of provincial government programs.

In 2000, PGNS carried out an organizational assessment, which revealed that the absence of
capability building and enhancement programs, an ineffectual performance evaluation and rewards
system, unfavorable working environment, and disorganized Figure 1. PGNS structure (1965-2001)
records system, among others, contributed to the low
performance of PGNS employees. Human resource management,
which was confined to personnel administration and record-
keeping functions, was a four-staff unit under the Office of the
Administrator. Providing the backdrop to these problems was a
36-year aged organizational structure in place since 1965 (Figure
1) that stunted, rather than promoted, service delivery .

PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS The PMT (Figure 2) is composed of the Executive

Committee (Execom), Technical Working Groups
Soon after Governor Daza took office in 2001, he (TWGs), and Special Task Forces. The PMT Execom, the
determined to bring out the excellent performance of policy-making body of the provincial government, is
employees. chaired by the governor, co-chaired by the vice governor,
and with TWG chairpersons and key department heads
Creation of the Provincial Management Team
as members. TWGs cluster departments with interrelated
Starting with the implementation of the AusAID- Figure 2. PGNS PMT (Since 2002)
funded ‘Building Institutional Efficiency and Participatory
Development (BIEPD) Project in 2001, PGNS developed
a modern organizational structure that would lay the
framework for enhanced performance and fit the evolving
requirements of LGUs. Organizational development and
human resource development experts deployed by the
Philippines-Australia Governance Facility (PAGF)
assisted PGNS in creating the Provincial Management
Team (PMT), which was adopted as a governance
structure through Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution
No. 12 dated 1 February 2002.

5
 Human Resource Management and Development
functions, such as Food Security; Community Organizing,
Livelihood and Employment; Health and Welfare;
Environment, Ecotourism and Cultural Management;
Housing, Infrastructure and Land Use; Development
Support Services; and Protective Services.
The TWGs undertake planning, implementation
and management of programs and projects while the
Special Task Forces on Training Management and Action
Desk provide training and advocacy support to the
organization. The Provincial Interdepartmental Monitoring
and Evaluation Team (PIMET) is another task force that
provides the Execom with information on TWG operations
and status of projects, and recommends policy changes
and problem resolution options.
Membership in the PMT is highly regarded by PGNS
employees because it signifies excellence and dynamism.
As the elite corps of the organization, members are
selected on the basis of rank, technical expertise,
leadership and management skills, and commitment to
change and innovation, when necessary.
Human Resource Management and Development Office
At the core of the dramatic change in the PGNS
organization was the transformation of the Provincial
Human Resource Management and Development Office
(PHRMDO). Sangguniang Panlalawigan Ordinance No.
23 upgraded the office into a full-fledged department on
12 October 2001.
The Philippines-Australia Human Resource
Development Facility (PAHRDF) opined that the
sustainability of their capacity development programs for
PGNS depended on PHRMDO’s assumption of that
status. Thus the first PAHRDF trainings assisted
PHRMDO in crafting the first PGNS Human Resource
Management and Development (HRMD) Plan for 2005-
2007, which embodied the human resource
competencies and skills required to complement the
FLESHER program implementation. Revised in 2008,
the new HRMD Plan for 2008-2010 adopted new
personnel mechanisms.
Creation of the Provincial Training Pool
PAHRDF trainings also brought about the
organization of the PGNS Training Pool and the
formulation of the Training Guidebook. Through Executive
Order No. 06, series of 2006, Governor Daza formalized
the creation of the Training Pool. The PHRMDO Training
Division serves as convenor of subject experts from
different departments and resource persons from outside
institutions.
The Training Pool conducts regular training needs
assessment of the 1000-plus PGNS staff, provides
in-house trainings, and recommends employees to
invitational and specialized trainings. In 2008 alone,
Governor Daza allocated P1 million for training and
development, a proof of his commitment to sustain the
organization’s capability enhancement program.
To date, the Training Pool has conducted a total of
27 training activities, including Supervisory Development
Courses, Client Relations and Customer Service
Trainings, Values Orientation Workshops for entrant
employees, Basic Business Correspondence Skills
Enhancement Seminars, Orientation-Workshops on Basic
Records Management, 5S of Good Housekeeping,
Capability Building for HR Point Persons, Pre-Retirement
Trainings, and Performance Management System
Orientations for department Measurement Development
Teams, among others.
Performance Management System
The development and installation of the new
Performance Management System - Office Performance
Evaluation System (PMS-OPES) was backed by
Governor Daza and funded by PAHRDF. The system
contained in the PGNS PMS Manual provides for the
objective performance rating of departments and offices
using the point system as basis for performance actions
such as promotions, incentives and rewards and
administrative sanctions.
Governor Daza,
with Board
Member Albert
Lucero, exhibits
the CSC-approved
PGNS Performance
Management
System Manual on
its launching at
the Capitol.
Formulation of the Citizen’s Charter
The PGNS Citizen’s Charter was another expression
of the provincial government’s enthusiasm to improve its
service delivery. It is a written commitment of the
provincial government to provide services, and comply
6
 Human Resource Management and Development
with the requirements, procedures and timeframes within
which such services may be availed of, and the persons
or offices responsible for their delivery.
Personnel Discipline
While Governor Daza is keen on developing the
human resource, he does not tolerate abuses by
employees and even department heads who, at some
point in their jobs, have neglected their responsibilities as
civil servants. PHRMDO records show that between
2001 and 2010, a total of 17 employees were given
disciplinary penalties (13 were suspended and 4
dismissed) - more than by all his predecessors combined
since 1965.
The use of bundy clocks and biometric machines
has been implemented to ensure that employees render
the required number of hours of public service.
On a flag ceremony, Governor Daza reminds employees to constantly
practice honesty and good customer relations in their day-to-day service
to the public.
CSC Assistant Commissioner Anicia de Lima beams with Region 8 Director
David Cabanag Jr. as they and Governor Daza show off the newly-completed
Citizen’s Charter of the province to the cheer of PGNS officials and staff.
7
Personnel Welfare
While Governor Daza is a no-nonsense taskmaster,
he looks after the welfare of PGNS employees. Offices in
the Capitol were improved, if not modernized, and
provided with air-conditioning systems, sanitary toilets
and safe water dispensers to create a conducive working
atmosphere. Employees who get sick are provided free
hospitalization in the Infirmary ward, which was
established exclusively for PGNS employees. Other
benefits, aside from the usual allowances, bonuses and
cash gifts, include free medical and laboratory check up
every two years, and low-cost housing.
The governor also negotiated with the Government
Service Insurance System (GSIS) for a field office in
Catarman to spare employees from the hassle of
traveling to Catbalogan for membership requirements and
loan applications. At his behest, Landbank installed an
ATM at the Capitol lobby.
RESULTS
The first, and so far, the only province in the Eastern
Visayas Region, PGNS was granted Level II Accreditation
by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on 10 November
2009. By virtue of CSC Resolution No. 091412 dated 26
October 2009, CSC approved the accreditation of PGNS
based on positive findings in the Comprehensive
Personnel Management Assessment made on 23 April
2009. The accreditation accords PGNS the authority to
take final action on its appointments.
In the commitment-building ceremony and awarding
of Certificate of Accreditation, CSC Region 8 Director
David Cabanag Jr. extolled PGNS for its commitment to
continue the operationalization of CSC-approved
personnel mechanisms as CSC’s partner in human
resource management and development.
CSC also recognized Northern Samar as the first
LGU in the country to develop and implement a CSC-
approved Performance Management System (PMS).
Director Cabanag expressed that PGNS could be the only
remaining LGU in Region 8 whose PMS continues to be
operational.
CSC Assistant Commissioner Anicia De Lima also
congratulated Governor Daza for being the first LGU to
have completed the Citizen’s Charter in Eastern Visayas,
a primary requirement of the Anti Red Tape Act of 2007.
 Financial Management
Before 2001, financial management shortcomings included weak plan and
budget linkage, poor local revenue collection, and inefficient budget execution,
accountability and control. Provincial plans such as the Annual Investment Program
(AIP) had little to do with strategic development directions. Project workplans did not
relate to project objectives, nor were target outputs specified. These policy-
determining documents were produced merely for political and compliance purposes
with which to access the IRA for the budget. The province was also ineffective at
generating local revenues, which manifested in its 98% dependence on the IRA.

The separation of the treasury, assessment,
budgeting and accounting functions under the Local
Government Code compartmentalized the specialized but
interrelated finance function into separate and
independent offices. This resulted in the confinement of
each unit to its specific segment of the system and losing
sight of the bigger picture, which is a unified fiscal
system.
Added to the challenges of the process is the
commitment to the principle of participatory development
as a cornerstone of good governance. This principle is
defeated whenever development ‘priorities’ are discussed
only between the governor and a few staff.
PGNS requirements and conforming to national
standards.
While the oversight agencies of the national
government ordered the harmonization of plans, budget
and expenditure through Joint Memorandum Circular 1
series of 2007, and came up with the manual on
Provincial/ Local Planning and Expenditure Management
(P/LPEM) in 2008, Northern Samar started the
institutionalization of its PPIMM way ahead in 2002. The
adherence to the procedures set in the manual eventually
resulted in systems improvement and a second version,
which was released in 2008 with the assistance of
PAHRDF.

PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
With the LGU’s meager resources provided mostly
by IRA and insignificantly, by local income, Governor
Daza recognized that, like any gainful undertaking, the
only way to proceed for the provincial government was
through a sound financial resource planning. This meant
setting his development directions and priorities clear at
the outset.
The PPIMM is credited with starting the groundwork
for the desired plan-budget linkage, setting up budget
controls through the required submission of project
implementation plans, and creating the Provincial
Interdepartmental Monitoring and Evaluation Team
(PIMET) that tracks financial disbursements vis-à-vis
physical accomplishments of programs and projects.
Provincial Planning, Implementation and Monitoring Manuals, 2002 and 2008 edition

Customized Northern Samar Provincial Planning,

Implementation and Monitoring Manual
To improve the Provincial Government’s
institutional efficiency, particularly on financial
management, Northern Samar obtained assistance from
AusAID through the Philippines-Australia Governance
Facility (PAGF) in 2001. The project ‘’Building Institutional
Efficiency and Participatory Development’ produced the
first edition of the Northern Samar Provincial Planning,
Implementation and Monitoring Manual (PPIMM), which
embodied the Provincial Planning, Implementation and
Monitoring Framework. The Framework and Manual were
digested from intensive participatory workshops and Harmonizing budgeting, accounting, and internal control
focus group discussions that were aimed to customize In 2009, PAHRDF provided the ‘Harmonizing
planning and budget preparation, project implementation, Budgeting, Accounting, and Internal Control’ training,
and monitoring and control systems responsive to the which was successful at developing the PGNS Internal

8
 Financial Management
Control Systems
Manual and
Toolkit/Guide.
The manual
serves as a
ready reference
for all the
relevant
issuances that
guide PGNS
Internal Control Toolkit/Guide is the first of its kind in local
budgeting, government in our country
accounting and
internal control. The Internal Control Toolkit/Guide, which
is the first of its kind in local governments in our country,
also comes with the manual. Through the flowcharts, the
otherwise esoteric financial processes make internal
control a layman’s task, thus encouraging transparency in
government financial transactions.
The HR activity also defined the finance
departments’ functions and responsibilities, management
and institutional coordination systems, strategic
operations plan, and enhanced the knowledge and skills
of the finance departments’ key employees.
Governor Daza likewise committed to implement the
Electronic New Government Accounting System (eNGAS)
once it is rolled out. The system not only speeds up
financial transactions and generates financial reports to
aid decision-makers in planning and budgeting, but also
promotes transparency in managing the LGU’s affairs.
Reimbursable Fund Management (RFM)
The Reimbursable Fund Management (RFM) is an
administrative reform designed to facilitate service
delivery, and financial disbursement and recovery for the
hospital system. The main objective is to ensure that
hospitals are efficiently replenished with drugs and
medicines that could be availed of especially by indigent
and low-income patients. The cost of drugs and medicines
is given priority in an indigent’s billing statement and the
uncollected cost of drugs and medicines are paid out of
the hospital’s regular appropriation for drugs and
medicines.
arrangement wherein unused drugs and medicines
could be returned to the supplier anytime free of
cost.
Setting up other support mechanisms
Other support mechanisms that were developed
include the formulation of the 2006 Operational
Fiscal Plan and Provincial Fiscal Plan 2008-2010,
and the revision of the Omnibus Revenue Code
(ORC). In 2005, the Revenue Generation Group laid
down policies and approaches that would
institutionalize revenue generation and enhance
fiscal administration in the 2006 Operational Fiscal Plan.
The Provincial Fiscal Plan 2008-2010 later set out
strategies to sustain improvements made in fiscal
performance and administration.
RESULTS
Figure 3 shows Northern Samar’s annual budget
and expenses between 1996 and 2008, wherein the LGU
sustained the net income that it experienced in 1999. This
proves that the sound financial management controls
installed in the system have paid off. Moreover the
Commission on Audit (COA) reported on 8 May 2008 that
the average annual income of Northern Samar for the
period 2004-2007 reached P436 million, which falls within
the income bracket for first class provinces set at P300
million and above.
PGNS again fulfilled its target to reach the new first
class province income threshold of P450 million when it
registered an income of P655 million and P565 million in
2008 and 2009, respectively. LGU classification
assessment is conducted once every four (4) years, and
the next round will be in 2011.
Figure 3. Northern Samar’s Annual Budget and Expenses, 1996-2008
(Source: COA)

The RFM also allows provincial hospitals to retain a

portion of their income from revenue generating units such
as pharmacies and laboratories and deposit in a trust
fund, which serves as the hospital’s revolving fund.

In 2009, PGNS entered into a drug consignment

9
 Partnership Building
‘Participatory development’ became a
buzzword in the mid-1990s that followed
‘people empowerment’, and accompanied the
rapid increase in the number of
non-government organizations (NGOs). These
events in the development arena could be
attributed to the passage of the Local
Government Code of 1991, which promotes
partnerships between government and civil
society organizations such as people’s
organizations (POs) and NGOs. The provincial
government though, at around the same time,
continued to hold the helm of governance, and
grassroots participation or feedback on the
efficiency of its service delivery may
Governor Daza, with UEP President Mar de Asis and provincial veterinarian Jose Luis Acompañado, turns over cattle
have yet sounded unfamiliar. to project beneficiaries of the buddy-buddy cattle dispersal program, a joint undertaking of the provincial
government, Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program and the University of Eastern Philippines.

In 2001, the governor recognized that one of the
reasons for the weak link between PGNS and local
partners is the unwieldy bureaucracy of the provincial
government that did not seem to regard coordination and
partnership as a vehicle to fulfill the development vision
for Northern Samar. Moreover, he discerned that civil
society would only have the chance to play its role if it
shares social trust and mutual confidence with the
government.
Governor Daza saw partnership as the most
strategic approach because of a number of reasons: the
limited financial and quality human resources of PGNS,
seal of the constituency’s approval of support, and
urgency of response to the development and service
delivery requirements. He believed that the involvement
of civil society in provincial initiatives also promoted
transparency, participation, and empowerment.
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
Interdepartmental Coordination
Governor Daza wanted to establish links with non-
PGNS partners and the best way to start is with the
provincial government. With the adoption of the Provincial
Management Team (PMT) as its governance structure,
departments with interrelated functions and common key
result areas were clustered into Technical Working
Groups (TWGs), which instituted interdepartmental
coordination. TWGs started organizing meetings to
discuss sectoral strategies and activities, something that
the old LGU structure that was in place since 1967 did not
promote. This improved coordination mechanism opened
up PGNS to external linkages and partnerships.
Vice Governor Antonio Lucero’s promotion of
consensus decision-making helped bring about the kind
of legislative support needed, which looks beyond political
affiliations.
Partnership with the Civil Society
The Local Government Code recognizes the role of
civil society in development and encourages LGUs to
partner with NGOs and POs in the delivery of certain
basic services, capability building and livelihood projects,
local enterprise development, agriculture diversification,
promotion of ecological balance, and enhancement of the
economic and social well-being of the people.
Governor Daza tapped the Nortehanon Access
Center (NAC), a consortium of NGOs and POs, as a
conduit in encouraging partnership with PGNS to plan
and implement development programs and projects.
PGNS and NAC partnership ranges from the
implementation of agriculture projects like Steer Dispersal
to health projects like Water and Sanitation.
PGNS also established strong ties with Gawad
Kalinga (GK) to help in the latter’s vision of building 7,000
homes by 2010. During the GK Partners Forum held in
Ibabao Hall in 2005, Governor Daza talked about his plan
to make Northern Samar a ‘GK Province’. Aside from the
provincial government’s contribution of P1 million for the

10
 Partnership Building
construction of ‘GK Saving You
Village’ in Bgy Daganas, Catarman,
Governor Daza also regularly
meets with GK representatives to
help resolve housing-related
concerns throughout the province.
PGNS, represented by
Governor Daza, also signed a
NAC executive director Edgar Dones shakes hands with
Governor Daza after both sign a memorandum of agreement Memorandum of Agreement with
for the partnership of PGNS and NAC in the implementation of Representative Paul Daza and the
some FLESHER programs.
mayors of San Roque, Mondragon,
Bobon, Allen, San Jose and San
Isidro for the establishment of GK
Villages in these municipalities.
Partnership with the Academe
PGNS entered into
partnership with the University of
Eastern Philippines (UEP) College
of Agriculture in 2003 to establish
and operate the first and only
Tissue Culture Laboratory in the
whole Samar Island. UEP put in
Mayor Ben Jao signs an agreement with Governor Daza and
Representative Paul Daza to establish a GK village in Bobon. research, technical personnel and
the building that housed the
laboratory, while PGNS financed its
operations, provided laboratory
equipment, and support staff. This
facility had been distributing pest-
free tissue-cultured abaca plantlets
to farmers.
The Buddy-Buddy Cattle
Dispersal Project funded by the
Philippines-Australia Community
A farmer receives cattle from Governor Daza as part of the Assistance Program (PACAP)
buddy-buddy cattle dispersal project of the provincial
government, in partnership with UEP and PACAP . UEP
under its Responsive Assistance
President Mar de Asis joins Daza in the turn-over. Scheme (RAS) was also a joint
venture between PGNS and the
UEP College of Veterinary
Medicine. The project has
distributed 32 heads of cattle to
farmer recipients.
Multi-sectoral Partnerships
Through Executive Order No.
3 series of 2009, Governor Daza
Governor Daza and Fiber Industry Development Authority created Focal Groups on critical
Regional Director Jeffrey Espeña sign a Memorandum of
Agreement during the launching of the Abaca Nursery sub-sectors, including Rice,
Development Program in Catubig. Coconut, Pili, Abaca, Handicraft,
and Nutrition, composed of PGNS
11
staff, members of the academe,
government agencies, NGOs, and
private sector.
These multi-sectoral
partnerships through the Focal
Groups aim to build in sustainability
into the development of these
priority areas, particularly in the
province’s major products, which
are poised for industry formation.
Governor Daza believes that the
provincial government can only
pump-prime the local economy but
the real economic drivers are the
stakeholders themselves.
The governor sits as convenor
of all the Focal Groups with a co-
convenor from lead partner
government agencies or NGOs in
each group. In support to the Focal
Groups operations, Governor Daza
regularly provides funding and
attends its major activities.
In building the coconut
industry, the provincial government
is working closely with the
Philippine Coconut Authority
(PCA), Coconut Industry
Investment Fund (CIIF), LGUs,
NGOs, POs, coconut farmers, and
traders. The collaboration launched
the First Provincial Coconut
Summit which resulted in the
organization of the Northern Samar
Coconut Industry Development
Council (NSCIDC), with Governor
Daza as chairperson. The
provincial government has
conducted various technology
trainings on coconut processing
like buko juice, coconut sugar,
buko pie, nata de coco, among
others.
The successful formation of
the NSCIDC has inspired the
conduct of the First Regional
Coconut Summit held on 29-30
August 2008 in Tacloban City.

Aside from industry building,
the provincial government is also a
member of the Northern Samar
Peace and Development Forum
(NSPDF), which is a partnership of
the church, government, academe,
and the civil society. NSPDF was
initially formed to advocate against
mining and environmental
destruction in the province but has
later evolved into a forum for the
advocacy of peace and
development. The group is an
active member of the island-wide
Samar Island for Peace and
Development (SIPPAD).
Still on the promotion of peace
and order, Governor Daza works in
collaboration with the Philippine
National Police, Philippine Army
and other members of the
Provincial Peace and Order Council
which is chaired by the governor.
On 26 February 2010, he was
awarded by President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo through the
Dangerous Drugs Board for his
unwavering support in the
government’s fight against illegal
drugs.
Partnership with Foreign Funding
Donors
PGNS has also established a
good credibility with donor agencies
because of the commitment and
professionalism shown by Governor
Daza. The provincial government
has maintained its partnerships with
foreign funding donors, like the
Australian Agency for International
Development (AusAID), Japan
International Cooperation Agency
(JICA), United Nations Children’s
Fund (UNICEF), and German
Technical Cooperation (GTZ),
among others.
Some of the provincial
Partnership Building
government’s ongoing partnerships
are with AusAID, on the Philippines-
Australia Community Assistance
Program (PACAP) and the
Philippines-Australia Human
Resource Development Facility
(PAHRDF); JICA, on the Help for
Catubig Agricultural Advancement
Program (HCAAP); UNICEF, on the
Sixth Country Program for Children
(CPC 6); GTZ, on disaster risk Governor Daza signs an agreement for the implementation of
management; and US Peace the Focal Group – Rice Project, ‘Wealth in Rice Farming:
Enhancing and Sustaining the PDF Farms through Crop
Corps, on coastal resource Diversification in the Catubig Valley’.
management.
Governor Daza shows his
personal commitment by conducting
regular meetings to discuss and
resolve project implementation
issues, and appropriating PGNS
counterpart funds. He sits as
chairperson of the HCAAP Project Governor Daza and UEP president Pedro Destura bares a
Steering Committee and the hybrid variety of rice being grown for rice sufficiency at the
UEP demonstration farm through its tissue culture
PACAP Provincial Stakeholders laboratory, a partnership project among the Department of
Committee. Agriculture, the provincial government and the university.
Participatory Planning
In development planning, the
seal of the constituency’s approval
and support is important to ensure
that development plans benefit the
people, and stakeholders would
assume their role in turning these
plans into reality. The provincial
government observes participatory
planning by subjecting long-term Governor Daza shares some views in maintaining the peace
and security in Samar island as Bishops Crispin Varquez,
and medium term development Emmanuel Trance and Isabelo Abarquez follow on his remarks.
plans of the province to public Other stakeholders also actively joined in the discussion of
peace and order concerns.
consultations.
The Annual Investment
Programs (AIP) also go through
consultations with partner NGOs
and POs prior to the approval of the
Provincial Development Council
(PDC) and Sangguniang
Panlalawigan (SP). Community-
based projects funded by PGNS are Governor Daza discusses programs for funding by AusAID and
also implemented in partnership UNICEF during a special dialogue with donor agencies
attended by Australian Ambassador Ruth Pearce and UNICEF
with NGOs and POs. country representative Terril Hill.
12
 Information and Communications Technology
Way back in 2001,
Governor Daza noted that
majority of PGNS
employees, including
department heads, did not
know how to operate a
computer. Typewriters were
used to prepare reports and
office memos, while Manila
papers and pens came
handy for visual
presentations. Connecting
to the world through the
internet was known only to
some (that already includes MISO-STC personnel conduct computer literacy training to non-PGNS staff at the Skills
Training Center.
the governor), which was
why electronic correspondence or ‘email’ was hardly heard. But soon after information
technology caught up with Northern Samar, computer purchases began to use up the funds for
capital outlay.

PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS Information Systems Development

Computerization Program guided by an Information
Systems Strategic Plan
In Region 8, Northern Samar is the first province to
craft and implement an Information Systems Strategic
Plan (ISSP) in 2005. Under the AusAID-funded
‘Capability Building for Effective Management Information
Systems – Information Technology (MIS-IT) Services’
training program of PAHRDF, consultation workshops
were held to formulate the ISSP 2005-2007 with the
guidance of the National Computer Center (NCC) and the
Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP).
The ISSP 2005-2007 laid down the framework for
the entire MIS-IT program, and contained the priority
information systems that would best support the
implementation of the FLESHER program. Updating the
plan into ISSP 2008-2010 was not as difficult as the first
as PGNS already has in-house MIS specialists who have
acquired short-term and postgraduate trainings.
While Governor Daza was keen on automating basic
operations of the provincial government, requests for
computer purchases only get approved if the ISSP
warrants it. In compliance with the Intellectual Property
Rights Law, software licenses were later required with
computer purchases.
MISO systems designer Ruel Saludaga with Engineer Basiliso Arban, Provincial Bids and
Awards Committee secretary, and other MISO staff, develop the design of the bids and
awards information system which MISO intends to develop for PBAC.
The ISSP made way for the institutionalization of
management information systems. Through Executive
Order No. 7 issued on 21 June 2005, Governor Daza
created the Management Information Systems Office
(MISO).
Within a few years of its operations, MISO has
developed and installed various information systems
identified in the ISSP. The Human Resource Information
System (HRIS) is now used by PHRMDO for accurate
and timely processing of service record certifications and
updating personnel profile. Other information systems
that were deployed and are now used include the Rice
Production Information System, Patient Administration
Information System, and Legislative Tracking System.
MISO is developing other development
administration information systems. These are the
Geographic Information System (a spatial planning tool
that also supports real property tax collection), and
information systems
for hospital laboratory,
procurement
monitoring, check,
payroll, and micro-
finance. Meanwhile,

13
 Information and Communications Technology
the Real Property Tax System for six municipalities clients.
whose RPU encoding got completed will soon be
As a matter of policy, Governor Daza included
deployed. computer literacy as a requirement for entry to rank and
In addition to its IS development function, MISO also file positions in the provincial government, and required
takes charge of PGNS computer all regular personnel to undergo at least the basic
repair and maintenance. A total of computer literacy training.
114 computers owned by the
Internet connectivity
provincial government got repaired
in 2005, which increased to 169 in Governor Daza introduced the ‘global village’
2008. With a minimum of two technology to the province barely a year after he
computer units repaired a day at the assumed as chief executive and connected the Capitol to
STC, PGNS has significantly the internet for the first time in 2002. The increased
reduced expenses for computer computer literacy of PGNS staff brought an increased
repair, charged by private demand for internet service. Emails took the new form of
technicians at P1,000 per correspondence with partner institutions, making internet
A MISO –STC
unit on the average. connectivity a necessity to office operations.
employee
Suspensions or delays in checks for defective hardware in the central The provincial government is now engaged to
processing unit of a PGNS computer, a
office operations due to routine practice in all other computers provide internet connection using wi-fi and powerline
computer malfunction brought to the office for repair.
communications (PLC) technology, which is expected to
were also minimized. boost interdepartmental and inter-agency coordination
PGNS also invested in setting up a provincial and exchange of information. With the new wireless
Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) and internet service, offices within and outside the Capitol
Provincial Poverty Map to channel poverty reduction building can now access the internet anytime.
efforts to the province’s most impoverished areas. Community Radio
Skills Training Center With the assistance of UNICEF, Governor Daza
PGNS boasts of being the first LGU among all supported the set up of a community radio, DYNS FM, on
provincial governments and other LGUs in the whole 23 July 2002. The station has its base in the UEP College
Visayas to have established an in-house IT Skills Training of Arts and Communication where various sectors host
Center (STC). AusAID Development Cooperation First different radio programs
Secretary Angus for free, and at the same
Barnes, PAHRDF time serves as a training
Facility Director facility for broadcast
Bob Wilson, DAP communication students.
Executive Fellow In 2009, Governor Daza
Elizabeth Manugue, upgraded the transmitter
and NCC-Visayas of DYNS FM for
head Frederick broader coverage and DYNS FM production manager announces on air
audience reach. the station’s daily program line-up.
Amores joined
Governor
RESULTS
Daza in the Governor Daza and AusAID First Secretary Angus Barnes cut the
STC ceremonial ribbon for the launching of the STC. PAHRDF facility
director Bob Wilson, and other provincial officials also witnessed
Access to the right information at the right time has
inaugural the opening. led to sound planning and decision-making. Needless to
rites on 3 say, the pooled effects of being guided by an ISSP, the
June 2005. ease of information and data retrieval brought by
The STC provides the training component of the IT information systems that were established, internet
program. Trainers from the adjacent MISO man the STC connectivity, and most of all, the high computer literacy of
and conduct both basic computer literacy and advanced PGNS employees have radically aided office operations
computer courses to PGNS and community partners and and service delivery.

14
 Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response
Northern Samar’s geographic
location vulnerably exposes it to
natural disasters. Situated within the
‘typhoon belt’, the province is often
ravaged by typhoons, storm surges,
heavy rains leading to floods,
landslides, and mud flows. These
natural disasters claim lives and
destroy valuable farmlands,
settlements, and important
infrastructure. But the adverse
effects brought by these calamities PDMU staff installs a river gauge in
are amplified because of the absence of disaster Bgy. Polangi, Catarman.

prevention and mitigation programs.

A disaster victim of a recent flooding in the province

As practiced for decades, disaster activities often
took the response-oriented approach. The Provincial
Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) chaired by the
governor, mobilizes rescue and relief operations in the
event of calamities. Otherwise, the council is at rest.
Although five percent of the budget is earmarked as
calamity funds to be disbursed for relief, rehabilitation and
reconstruction work and services, these are often
insufficient when there are just one too many disasters
that strike the province.
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
Creation of the Provincial Disaster Management Unit
Because of the PDCC’s response-oriented approach,
the demand for a permanent government unit that would
be responsible for disaster coordination increased. As a
major step, Governor Raul Daza created the Provincial
Disaster Management Unit (PDMU) on 4 July 2005
through Executive Order No. 9 to institutionalize
community disaster preparedness and risk reduction
programs, and strengthen local disaster control capability
as mandated by Presidential Decree 1566. In addition, the
PDMU acts as the technical secretariat of the PDCC.
Increasing community awareness and participation
Turning into a more pro-active approach, PDMU has
been actively conducting pre-disaster activities such as
participatory disaster risk assessments where risks are
identified based on the location and history of a
community or area, and orientation-seminars to local
disaster coordinating councils and LGUs on disaster
preparedness and management, family preparedness,
and climate change. receives financial assistance from Governor Daza.
Likewise, fire and
earthquake drills have been organized and conducted in
offices and schools.
Disaster risk reduction
Northern Samar, the location of the Catarman and
Catubig watershed areas, was chosen as a partner of the
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and United Nations
Development Program’s Hazard Mapping and
Assessment for Effective Community-Based Disaster Risk
Management (READY) Project spearheaded by the
Office of Civil Defense-National Disaster Coordinating
Council, Philippine Vulcanology and Seismology, and the
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical
Services Administration-Department of Science and
Technology (PAGASA-DOST).
The project, which was launched in Northern Samar
on 17 September 2008, aims to help vulnerable
communities prepare for disaster through contingency
plans and installation of Community-Based Flood Early
Warning Systems (CBFEWS), such as water gauges, to
communities along the Catarman and Catubig
watersheds. The installed equipment gives automatic
feeds to the PDMU Operation Center for information
dissemination. PDMU is a member of the CBFEWS yahoo
group networking.
Phase 1 of the project focused on multi-hazard
identification and disaster risk assessment, while Phase 2,
which is ongoing implementation, involves CBFEWS
distribution and installation, communications set-up, dry-
runs and tsunami drills.

15
In one of its seminars, PDMU staff demonstrates PDMU installs an automatic weather device on the Amancio Unay, PDMU chief, explains to barangay officials
proper response during emergency situations such roof of its office to be used in weather forecasting. some strategies of responding to disasters.
as fires and earthquakes.

Rescue and relief operations Community assistance

The PDMU office is manned 24/7 by trained rescuers
and first aiders who are provided with rescue gear and
equipment. During relief operations, the PDMU office
serves as Disaster Operation Center. Because of the
overwhelming task of relief goods distribution, PDMU
draws on the assistance of other PGNS departments and
agencies. The Provincial Social Welfare and Development
Office identifies victims and assesses damages, the
Provincial Engineer’s Office and Philippine Army provide
trucks to transport the relief goods, and the Provincial
General Services Office lends additional manpower. The
Provincial Health Office and district hospitals are also
called for medical assistance and ambulance services for
the transport of patients to higher medical institutions.
PDMU has had access to funding from foreign
development partners. GTZ provided five toilets to Lope
de Vega, and the barangays of Polangi, Somoje, Baybay,
and Central II in Catarman. Additional toilets for
barangays Dalakit and Cawayan are pending
negotiations.
RESULTS
The Northern Samar PDCC, under the leadership of
Governor Daza, was twice awarded by the Regional
Disaster Coordinating Council as the best PDCC in
Eastern Visayas for 2007 and 2008. RDCC likewise
recognized the active participation and valuable
contribution of PDMU to the implementation of the
disaster risk management program of the province.

Facilities and Infrastructure Development

The third floor of the Capitol

Building in 2001.

A large part of socio-economic

development depends on support facilities
and infrastructure. For decades, local
government officials prioritized infrastructure
projects because of their convincing visual
impression on the electorate. But sometimes,
infrastructure investments have proven to be Now the Ibabao Hall
a big loss of resources, or served as ‘white
elephants’ when engaged without sufficient information and concrete guidelines.

16
 Facilities and Infrastruture Development
Street–concreting Project in Bgy. Erenas, Victoria
Improvement of San Antonio Circumferential road
(Dalupirit section)
Farm to Market Road, Las Navas
Improvement of NSPH Driveway
17
In 2003, the Philippines-
Australia Governance Facility
(PAGF) assisted PGNS in the
formulation of its 2004-2013
Provincial Physical Framework
Plan, which laid out the
settlements, land use, and
infrastructure components of
provincial development. In 2007,
GHD Consultants, a team of
Australian and Filipino engineers,
also helped PGNS assess the
Provincial Structure Plan with
inputs from sectoral stakeholders.
The major infrastructure issues
identified were the concentration of
road networks on shorelines, which
greatly limits internal mobility and
access of people especially in the
remote areas to markets and basic
services such as education and
health. Hospitals and schools were
also concentrated in urban centers.
The expensive and unstable
electric power supply proved to be
the major deterrent for investments
in the province.
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
To address these issues,
PGNS identified the strategic
infrastructure requirements that
would create a difference in the
lives of the people of Northern
Samar. The provincial government
spent a total of P269.67 million for
infrastructure development
between 2001 and 2009.
National, provincial and farm to
market roads
Between 2001 and 2009,
the provincial government has
invested P85.85 million in farm to
market roads (FMRs). Included in
this capital outlay is the provincial
government’s counterpart for the
FMR construction of 4.9 kilometers
Las Navas-Quezon-Magsaysay-
Bulao-Hagbay road under the
Japan-aided Help for Catubig
Agricultural Advance Project
(HCAAP). The location of this FMR
makes for faster transportation of
agricultural products and connects
the three (3) irrigation systems of
Catubig, Bulao, and Hagbay. This
FMR project has shortened market
access by as much as 85 percent.
The HCAAP project’s other
components include irrigation and
drainage (National Irrigation
Authority), national roads and
bridge (Department of Public Works
and Highways), water supply
facilities (Municipalities of Catubig
and Las Navas), agricultural
support services (Department of
Agriculture), and schistosomiasis
control (Department of Health).
Governor Daza also lobbied
for the implementation of other high
impact projects funded by the
national government in order to
hasten development to the
province. These include: (1) Samar
Pacific Coastal Road (also called
the ‘Northern-Eastern Samar Inter-
Provincial Road Link’) that runs
along the 124-kilometer Oras-San
Policarpio-Arteche-Lapinig-Gamay-
Palapag-Laoang Road; (2)
Catarman-Lope de Vega-Calbayog
Road Link; and (3) Lope de Vega-
San Isidro Road Link.
The Samar Pacific Coastal
Road completes the circumferential
road network of the whole Samar
Island and is expected to stimulate
economic exchange and promote
ecotourism in the inaccessible
municipalities of the two provinces.
The Lope de Vega-San Isidro Road
Link, on the other hand, will give
road access to the interior
barangays of Lope de Vega,

Catarman, Bobon, San Jose,
Lavezares and Victoria.
Electric power supply
The ongoing construction of
the 138KV Wright-Calbayog
Transmission Line and Substation
resulted from the joint
representations of Governor Daza
and Representative Paul Daza to
the Regional Development Council
(RDC) chaired by Calbayog City
Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento. The
expensive and unstable power
supply has long denied the
province of investments in millions
pesos and has created a setback
of its economic development.
President Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo herself recognized the
urgency of the problem and
prioritized its implementation
because it addressed the power
needs not only of Calbayog City
and other Western Samar
municipalities but also those of
Northern Samar.
The Provincial Development
Council (PDC) also endorsed a
proposal to the RDC for a
feasibility study of another
transmission that would pass
through San Jose de Buan,
Eastern Samar to Las Navas to
complete the power loop for
Northern Samar.
The province recently
availed of the Capitol Streetlighting
Project from the Department of
Energy (DOE). The project cost is
an estimated at P2.1 million of
which P1.6 million will be sourced
from the provincial share of
Northern Samar under Energy
Regulation No. 1-94, which
provides for the sharing in the
income from the Tongonan
Facilities and Infrastructure Development
thermal power in Leyte.
Improvement of provincial and
district hospitals and other health
facilities
Governor Daza’s
commitment to improve the health
care system and facilities in the
province is reflected in the huge
allotments that the hospitals and NSPH new waste holding room
other health facilities receive
yearly, which total to P79.47
million. The Department of Health
(DOH) also recently gave a grant
of P7 million to the province for
Basic Emergency Obstetric
Newborn Care/ Comprehensive
Emergency Obstetric Newborn
Care facilities (BEmONC/
CEmONC), and another P90.652
million for infrastructure and
equipment upgrading of the NSPH,
Allen and GB Tan district NSPH ramp outside emergency room
hospitals.
The governor predicts that in
the near future the Northern
Samar Provincial Hospital (NSPH)
will become a tertiary hospital with
state-of-the-art equipment such as
CT scan and dialysis machine.
Construction and repair of schools
With education being one of
his flagship programs, Governor
Daza alloted P24.476 million for NSPH operating room
school construction and repairs
between 2001 and 2009. The
Provincial School Board (PSB)
deliberates which schools to
prioritize depending on the need
and the number of schoolchildren
served by these schools.
The rehabilitation of the
Provincial Sports Center was also
prompted by the hosting of athletic
events in the province. A sports
buff, he is an ardent advocate of a NSPH nursery intensive care unit
‘healthy mind in a healthy body’.
18
 Facilities and Infrastructure Development
Provincial Government facilities
Following the dictum ‘Charity begins at home’,
PGNS also takes care of its own. The Capitol Housing
Project, which is part of the employees’ welfare program,
has received a total allocation of P17.43 million pesos for
the four (4) phases of its site development.
because he holds that they retain their human rights
despite their transgressions against the law. Between
2001 and 2009, P13.38 million was allocated for jail
facilities improvement.
Figure 4 shows the total infrastructure investment in
the province.

Governor Daza also prioritized the completion of

the Capitol Building, which remained unfinished when he
assumed office in 2001. Project cost for the construction
of the Center Wing and Ibabao Hall, construction of
offices in the partially completed parts of the main
building, as well as the improvements in the Old Capitol
Building has totaled P39.268 million in the past eight
years.

This cost, however, can compare to the sense of

well-being and pride that employees of the provincial
government feel when they come to work in an
environment that allows them to maximize their
productivity and willingness to serve the public.

Governor Daza has not neglected the welfare of

prisoners in the provincial and sub-provincial jails

Right: One-
room school
building in
Bgy.
Yabyaban,
Laoang

Above: Pathway
shed in Catarman I
Central School

From top left

clockwise: The
Capitol Building in
2001, the Capitol
Building now,
Provincial Library,
Capitol Shuttle
Bus , Capitol Lobby
with its improved
ceiling, and the
Capitol gym.

19
 Youth and Sports Development
Northern Samar has a very
‘young’ population with the
youth comprising 44 percent of
its constituents in 2001. Some of
these young people drop out of
school involuntarily due to
poverty or the sheer lack of
interest in education.
Because schools help keep

Photo: Conrado G. dela Cruz, Jr.

our youth from crime and drug
addiction, staying out of it makes
them easy prey. Youth
development must therefore
continue for all the young both in
and out of school.

As part of his efforts to curb drug addiction and the decades since the province last hosted the regional
out-of-school youth’s apparent lack of direction, Governor games. It accommodated more than 5,000 delegates
Daza, an avid sports enthusiast himself, has promoted from the 10 divisions comprising the six provinces and
sports in Northern Samar, providing both the in and out-of four cities of Region 8. It hosted among other activities
-school youth the opportunity to discover and develop the Search for Mr. and Miss EVRAA 2008, the Welcome
their potential to win in competitions. Governor Daza’s Dinner, Socials and Cultural Night; Educators’ Congress;
sports program not only served as a stepping stone to and the Awarding and Paalam Night. Moreover, it
community participation and nation-building, but more shouldered the expense for training of the regional
significantly, it contributed to the physical, mental and delegation to the 2008 national games in Puerto Prinsesa
moral well-being of the youth, averted drug addiction and City.
other vices to a large extent, and reduced the incidence
Preparing the Provincial Sports Center alone in Bgy.
of crime and violence in the province.
Cawayan, Catarman in time for the regional games
entailed more than P9 million from the provincial coffers,
SPORTS PROGRAMS which was spent for the construction of additional
bleachers, repainting, repair of its Olympic-size swimming
Governor Daza made sports part of the major pool, existing grandstand and bleachers, road and oval
thrusts of the province. Since the province marked its rehabilitation, and water and drainage system installation.
founding day in June 2002, the governor has continuously The sports facility is now being maintained and used for
urged the youth to participate in sports tournaments, the training of athletes under the tutelage of top notch
which include boxing and basketball among others, coaches and trainers hired by the provincial government
especially organized by the provincial government
to serve as a training ground for all eager to
compete within and outside Northern Samar. The
provincial
government
PGNS has also regularly supported the
organizes the
Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association Governor’s
(EVRAA) Meet held every year in different parts of Cup
Basketball
Region 8 by taking on the cost for the food, Tournament
transportation, uniforms, equipment and other as part of the
provincial
miscellaneous expenses of the provincial founding
delegation. The most notable support that the anniversary
celebration in
province extended to sports was hosting the June 2006.
EVRAA Meet in Catarman in 2008, more than two

20
 Youth and Sports Development
Governor Daza turns
over to Leyte Governor
Jericho Petilla the
hosting of the 2009
EVRAA Meet in a
meeting of the
Regional Sports
Committee at the
Capitol in Catarman.
The event was
witnessed by DepEd
Region 8 officials,
DedEd Northern Samar
Division key personnel
Provincial athletes receive cash incentives from Governor Daza for and local officials.
bagging major medals in the 2009 EVRAA Meet held in Tacloban City.

to develop the players’ skills as well as teach them
discipline, endurance and strength.
On top of the list of Governor Daza’s renowned
sports consultants are George Caliwan, former trainer of
Olympic boxing medalist Onyok Velasco and also head
coach of the Amateur Boxing Association of the
Philippines (ABAP); Loreto “Popoy” Manaog, a former
PBA player and now trains the Northern Samar basketball
team; and chess national master Ricardo Bandal who
coaches both the elementary and high school chess
teams of the province.
Since 2002, PGNS has also awarded scholarships
to athletes who receive monthly allowance and tuition
assistance. Boxing trainees receive food and living
allowance. Provincial athletes also get free trainings, all at
the expense of the provincial government.
The Capitol Gym, complete with comfort rooms, air-
conditioning units, and gym equipment, was built for year-
round trainings of the provincial boxing team before being
sent to the regional and national competitions. Governor
Daza also encouraged PGNS employees to use the
facility to keep fit.

Governor Daza also authorized giving cash AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

incentives to athletes who win in the EVRAA, other
All that the provincial government invested in sports
regional and national sports competitions. Team
has paid off. Talents have been discovered. Many
champions receive P20,000, P15,000 for the second and
children have been kept in school. Drug incidence was
P10,000 for the third. Winning pairs each receive
reduced. Crime rate remained low. And in many
P10,000 for every gold medal award, P7,000 for silver
occasions, honor was brought to the province by its
and P5,000 for bronze. For individual games, each gold
athletes.
medal is equivalent to a P5,000 cash incentive,
P3,500 for silver, and P2,000 for bronze.

Provincial dancesports enthusiasts competed

for awards in the First Provincial Dancesport
Competition sponsored by the provincial
government on December 4, 2009 at the
Ibabao, Hall, Capitol Building, Catarman.

21
 Youth and Sports Development
First in the history of
Northern Samar, it was
overall champion in the 25-
28 March 2008 EVRAA
Meet, having bagged the
most medals in the 24
events of the elementary
and 28 of the secondary
divisions.
DepEd Undersecretary Franklin Sunga, Senator Mar Roxas
The boxing team did and Governor Daza watch at the presentations by delegates
not only won first place in in the opening of the 2008 EVRAA Meet at the Provincial Governor Daza cheers with provincial athletes when declared overall
Sports Center in Bgy. Cawayan, Catarman. champion in the 2008 EVRAA Meet held in Catarman.
the 2008 EVRAA Meet. It
was able to win, in the
high jump-elementary boys, and dancesport-secondary
person of Zosimo Apio, Jr., the bronze medal later in the
level. The provincial team also became champion in the
2008 PLDT/SMART National Open Women and Youth
2009 EVRAA, thus representing Region 8 in the Palarong
Amateur Boxing Tournament in Iloilo City, which paved
Pambansa in Tacloban City and the National Open
the way for his membership in the 2008 Philippine Team.
Baseball Competition Philippine Series in Manila held on
Six more boxers got awards, 2 silver and 4 bronze
11-19 April 2009.
medals, in the 2nd PLDT/SMART National Open Amateur
Boxing Championship in Bacolod City on 16-23 January The province’s support to dancesport pair Mary
2009. The silvers were won by Eric Dulay of Laoang in Catherine Grace Villanueva and Kevin Quindao helped
the junior category and Rose Ann Monares of San Jose in them bag the grand champion award in the 2009
the elite women category, while the bronze by Leonil Palarong Pambansa, Dancesport secondary category.
Bordeos in the youth category and the rest in the elite Provincial delegate Angelica Getalado also won first
men category. Aside from the cash incentives which all place in the long jump-elementary category while boxer
six boxers received from the provincial government, Paul Sacupon got bronze medal award in the school boy
Monares and Dulay were made scholars by Smart, ABAP category, proving their versatility.
and the Philippine Sports Commission.
Governor Daza’s reputation as a sports enthusiast,
Meanwhile in the 2009 EVRAA Meet in Tacloban as much as a sports supporter, has gained him long-term
City, the province bagged again 23 golds, 25 silver and chairmanship of the Board of the Amateur Boxing
13 bronze medals. Among the events in which the Association of the Philippines (ABAP) until 2008. He was
province placed first were the 1,500 meter-run for also an honorary chairman of the Dancesport Council of
elementary girls, long jump-elementary girls, triple jump- the Philippines from 1996 to 2001.
secondary level, discuss throw-secondary level boys,

Governor Daza, a
dancesport
aficionado,
demonstrates his
dexterity in the
dance floor with
his partner, the
graceful and
equally nimble
Northern Samar
Dancesport
trainer, Sylvia
Gonzales, in the
recent town fiesta
in Catarman.
At a flag ceremony, Governor Daza proudly presents provincial athletes who won silver and bronze
medals in the 2nd PLDT-Smart National Open Amateur Boxing Championship in Bacolod City.

22
 Tourism and Culture Promotion
Tourism and culture are inseparable; you cannot discover
the first without experiencing the other. Northern Samar’s
beautiful spots and diverse culture attract tourists from many
parts of world, and the provincial government has no doubts as
to the pivotal role that tourism plays in our economic
development.
To ensure that tourism and culture are amply provided
attention during his administration, Governor Daza installed the
Provincial Tourism Office and Provincial Culture and Arts Office
in 2001. Various strategies have been designed to promote
Northern Samar as a tourist destination.

PGNS has also -woven mats of

engaged the Canadian
Executive Services Organization’s (CESO) assistance
through its Tourism Development Needs Assessment
Mission, which produced the ‘Tourism Observations and
Opportunities for Northern Samar’.
Marketing and promotion
The Provincial Tourism Office has been actively
participating in travel and tourism fairs such as the yearly
Philippine Travel Mart; WOW Philippines, Intramuros,
Manila; Bahandi Eastern Visayas Trade Fair, Manila; and
in other events such as the 4th Visayas-Mindanao
International Travel and Tour Expo, Cebu (March 2008);
RDC Week’s Regional Trade and Travel Exhibit,
Tacloban (September 2008); One Visayas Travel; and
Trade Fair, Cebu (February 2009).
A tourism information desk manned by tourism office
staff was set up at the Catarman National Airport to
attend to queries of tourists and guests. Brochures are
displayed at the airport, hotels, cafés, restaurants, tourist
establishments, and during travel fairs to inform tourists of
what are in store for them in Northern Samar. The
provincial tourism website was recently launched for
wider market reach. Supplementary promotional
materials like the full-color two-year Northern Samar
calendar featuring the products and places of the 24
towns and the first ever postcard of Northern Samar
highlighting its people, beaches, adventure activities, and
products were also produced for distribution.
Media outfits that came to visit also provided media
mileage for the province. ABS CBN’s ‘Tablescapes’
hosted by model-actress Angel Aquino and chef Bruce
Lim featured Biri’s magnificent Rock Formation, Allen’s
local ‘chili tahong in cocomilk’ recipe, and the native hand
Lavezares in one
of their episodes;
PAL’s Mabuhay
and Cebu
Pacific’s Smile in
-flight magazines
both featured
Northern Samar
TV host and model Angel Aquino chooses the Biri Rock
in one of their Formations to feature in one of her ‘Tablescapes’ show.
2009 issues.
The province also found its way in the pages of the widely
distributed Expat Travel and Leisure magazine.
The Provincial Tourism Office also spearheaded the
establishment of the Catarman National Airport
Pasalubong Center, which showcases quality bags and
home decors made of indigenous materials by local
entrepreneurs. Aside from these souvenirs, outgoing
passengers, guests and tourists could also buy from the
center native delicacy treats such as pili candies, piñato
(a delicacy made of puffed rice, peanuts and sugar
syrup), nilatikan (glutinous rice in cocomilk), rice puto
seco, bottled tuna fish, crabs, and virgin coconut oil and
coco vinegar products.
Tourism Development Support
To complement the tourism promotion program, the
Provincial Tourism Office sought Representative Paul
Daza’s assistance in coordinating with the Philippine
Tourism Authority (PTA). PTA has funded the
construction of passenger pavilions in the municipalities
of Lavezares, Biri, and San Antonio to provide a
comfortable waiting area for tourists going to and from the
islands. The passenger pavilion also provided indirectly a
mechanism to regulate boat fares, and an embarkation-
disembarkation system for the passengers’ welfare.

23
 Tourism and Culture Promotion
The Provincial Tourism Office also designed a UEP Center for Samar Studies compilations, Rev. Msgr.
competency and skills training program for tourism Gaspar Balerite’s ‘Diocesan Ecclesiastical History’, and
frontliners such as Tourism Appreciation and resources from the National Library and National Archives
Competency Training for Tourism Frontliners and Service as references.
Providers, Tour Guiding, Festival Management Seminar-
Research results were submitted to the Historical
Workshops, Culture and Arts Workshops, Front Office
Preservation Division of the National Historical Institute
Services, Housekeeping Services, Food and Beverage (NHI) for consideration. In July 2009, the NHI team visited
Services, Drivers’ Forum, and Tunay na Piyestang Pinoy Northern Samar to conduct ocular inspection and validate
Seminar-Workshop. The office also facilitates the Airport
the claims presented by the research results, which were
Group meetings and assisted municipalities in organizing confirmed as genuine and accurate.
their respective municipal tourism councils.
The Capul church and fortress, Palapag church ruins
A good indicator of the bright prospects for tourism and fortress, and the Capul lighthouse passed the
in the province is the increase in the number of airlines
standard criteria based on the NHI’s Standard Criteria for
and flight frequencies serving the Manila-Catarman- Selection of National Historical Landmarks. On the other
Manila route (Table 1). For many years since the first
hand, the churches of Bobon, Catarman, Catubig,
commercial air carrier served Northern Samar, only one Laoang, and Pambujan were classified as local historical
airline operates this route four times a week with an landmarks because these structures have preserved only
average of 40 passengers a day, or 160 a week. their external architecture while their original interiors
Presently, three airlines fly daily to Catarman with an
have been altered.
average of 120 inbound passengers, or 840 passengers a
week. The Cebu-Catarman-Cebu flight, which is expected PGNS, NHI and the Diocese of Catarman are set to
to open unveil and landmark the historical and ecclesiastical sites
Table 1. Northern Samar Tourism Statistics, 2008-2009
soon, will (Source: Provincial Tourism Office) of the Palapag church and fortress, Capul church and
surely Tourism Indicators 2008 2009 fortress, and Capul lighthouse this 2010. These historical
encourage No. of tourist arrivals 25,170 24,900 and ecclesiastical sites are formally recognized as part of
(Jan-Oct) the Philippine history that every Nortehanon must be
more island- No. of guests registered at the 12,589
hopping Airport Tourism Info Desk
proud off.
tourists to No. of airlines 2 3
Frequency:
come to
Zest Air 4x/wk 4x/wk
Northern PAL Express 4x/wk daily
Samar. Cebu Pacific daily
No. of bus operators 12 14
No. of recommended 26 28
accommodations
Total no. of recommended 326 386
rooms
Air conditioned 221 223
Non-air conditioned 105 163
Total no. of dining facilities 14 18
No. of tourism related events/ 16 18
activities

Historical Landmarking
Governor Daza regards culture and arts as anchors
that keep people together in their quest for identity. To
promote and preserve the Nortehanons’ culture and
Commemoration
history, the Provincial Culture and Arts Office undertook a of the 108th
research on the historicity, authenticity, and antiquity of Anniversary of the
Battle of Catubig
the churches of Bobon, Capul, Catarman, Catubig,
on April 15, 2008
Palapag, Pambujan, Laoang, and the Capul Lighthouse. in Catubig,
Northern Samar
The study used oral historical accounts of old townsfolk,

24
 POVERTY REDUCTION

Food Security
Photo: Conrado G. dela Cruz, Jr.

Northern Samar is an agricultural province with 55 percent of its 349,800-hectare total

land area devoted to agriculture. Despite this agricultural advantage, the province suffers from
production shortage of major agricultural products, namely, rice, vegetable, fish and livestock.

In 2001, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) data revealed that the province had an average rice shortage
of 21,000 metric tons (MT) or 21 million kilos a year between 1994 and 2001, with the highest shortage recorded in 2000
at almost 26,000 MT. This average shortage could be valued Figure 5. Northern Samar Rice Deficiency (MT), 1994-2008
at roughly P400 million a year, the amount that leaves the Source: Bureau of Agricultural Statistics
provincial economy to cope with the domestic demand for
rice.

The rice shortage has decreased under his

administration (Figure 5). It is but logical that rice sufficiency
tops Governor Daza’s program under Food Security.

PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

From 2002 to 2009, Governor Daza allocated around P75 million for Food Security programs and projects, or an
average of more than P9 million a year.
Farm Mechanization

Starting 2003, the Provincial Government of Northern Samar (PGNS) allocated about P8 million for Farm
Mechanization to increase rice production by cultivating and converting idle lands into productive rice lands. The project
bought 100 units of farm machineries like hand tractors, threshers and shallow tube wells and distributed these to rice-
producing barangays, individual rice farmers, and farmer organizations at subsidized prices.

Rice Seed Program

The Rice Seed Program aims to increase the number of rice seed growers who will provide a steady local source
of affordable and certified rice seeds especially during planting time and minimize supply dependence on other

25
 Food Security
provinces. project aims to complete in the next 2-3 years an
Complementing this additional 4,500 hectares of irrigated ricelands in the
project is a series of Catubig Valley, which is considered the rice granary
Seed Production and of the province and the region. When completed,
Certification trainings, these additional irrigated ricelands could provide
which is a requirement 45,000 tons of rice a year, turning Northern Samar
for accreditation as around from a net importer to a net exporter of rice.
seed grower.
PGNS takes an active role in ensuring the
Another support effective implementation of HCAAP. Governor
project under the Rice Provincial Agriculturist Daza represents the provincial government in the
Damian Acero explains
Seed Program is the to Gov. Daza and his HCAAP-Project Steering Committee composed of
procurement and staff the procedures in various implementing agencies, and sits as its
producing metarhizium,
distribution of registered a green muscardine chairperson. For its project counterpart, PGNS,
seeds to encourage fungus which fights through the Provincial Engineer’s Office,
infestation of rice black
seed growers to produce bugs, at the Metarhizium constructed the 4.9 kilometers of farm-to-market
certified seeds. Lab of the province. road in the Las Navas-Hagbay-Bulao area. It has
According to research, also deployed staff to the HCAAP
using certified seeds alone could increase Project Coordination Office to help
production by around 8-10 percent. In monitor project implementation.
2009, the provincial government
The construction of the Las
distributed 50 bags of registered seeds to
Navas Bridge was another major
seed growers under the ‘plant-now-pay-
support infrastructure of the HCAAP
later’ scheme. PGNS also assists the
project. Completed in 2009 by the
Department of Agriculture on its
Department of Public Works and
Subsidized Certified Seeds Program.
Highways, the bridge was
Establishment of support facilities inaugurated by President Gloria
To ensure the attainment of Macapagal Arroyo on 16 June
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo unveils the Las Navas 2009. The bridge, which has
objectives of the Rice Sufficiency Bridge marker during its inauguration on June 16, 2009.
Program, PGNS established and operates connected the neighboring
support facilities like the Soil Laboratory, Seed Laboratory municipalities of Catubig and Las
and Metarhizium Laboratory. Navas with the rest of the province,
and the concrete Las Navas-
In 2008, the Metarhizium
Catubig road, now allow farmers to
Laboratory was built to produce
easily bring their agricultural
metarhizium, a fungus that
products from Las Navas to the
destroys Rice Black Bugs and
market, and significantly reduces
reduces infestation of rice areas
travel time from Las Navas to
in the province. Laboratory
Catubig to 10-15 minutes.
equipment, such as the
Previously, going to Las Navas from
inoculation chamber and laminar The newly-renovated Provincial Research and Extension Center in
Bgy. Galutan, Catarman where some agricultural trainings are held.
Catubig normally took 45 minutes to
flowhood were purchased
1 hour mainly by boat.
recently to increase the
laboratory’s production capacity. Vegetable production
Help for Catubig Agricultural Advancement Project Another project under Food Security is the
The Help for Catubig Agricultural Advancement promotion of vegetable production. The provincial
Project (HCAAP) is a P2.4 billion project funded by the government funded municipal nurseries in various
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), formerly municipalities manned by PGNS agricultural technicians.
the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC). The These nurseries produce quality vegetable seeds that are

26
 Food Security
distributed to farmers. In 2009, PGNS, through the
Provincial Agriculture Office, conducted Organic
Vegetable Production Training and distributed around
3,000 packs of assorted vegetable seeds. Other support
facilities, such as the Provincial Food Terminal, serve as
a market for farmers’ products.
To ensure that new varieties of vegetable and crops
will thrive in our environment, PGNS maintains the
Provincial Research and Extension Center (PREC) in
Galutan, Catarman. Vegetable adaptability trials are held
in this facility. Aside from researches and studies, the
Provincial Research and Extension Center (PREC) also
implemented the Sweet Corn and Luz Calamansi
Production.
Livestock development
When Governor Daza learned that cattle population
in the province was dwindling despite several cattle
dispersals before and that consumers were shifting to
carabao meat for their beef requirements, he immediately
initiated a Cattle Dispersal Project in 2003. One-hundred
fifty (150) heads of cattle have been distributed to
recipient farmers and students. Aside from increasing the
sufficiency of beef supply in the province, the project
applied the buddy-buddy scheme such that each farmer
recipient is paired with a veterinary or animal husbandry
student of the University of Eastern Philippines (UEP) who
resides in the same area as the farmer. This approach
sought also to provide hands-on training to veterinary and
animal husbandry students of UEP and, at the same time,
provide a handy consultant to the farmer on proper cattle
care and management.
Aside from the PGNS Cattle Dispersal Project,
Governor Daza was able to secure funding from the
Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program
Governor Daza distributes cattle to beneficiaries during
project turnover on December 17, 2008 at the University
of Eastern Philippines.
27
(PACAP) to expand the Cattle Dispersal Project, this time,
in partnership with UEP and using the Responsive
Assistance Scheme (RAS). The PACAP-PGNS-UEP
Cattle Dispersal Project has distributed 32 heads of cattle.
Fishery development
As a vital food source, the PGNS fishery projects do
not solely focus on increasing production to meet local
demand but also promotes the sustainability of our marine
resources. In 2007, the provincial government initiated a
consultative conference on illegal fishing, which aimed to
create awareness and promote convergence in
minimizing, if not eliminating, dynamite and illegal fishing
activities in the province.
The activity paved for the organization of Bantay
Dagat Task Forces in the barangay and municipal levels
and prompted the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources Region-8 Office to provide patrol boats for the
two districts of the province. The Provincial Agriculture
Office also trained and deputized members of the Fishery
Law Enforcement Teams (FLET) who conducted
seaborne operations, and installed quarantine checkpoint
signboards.
Payao fishing and small fishing gear assistance
PGNS also dispersed payaos and small fishing gears
to discourage illegal fishing. Payaos attract fishes because
they serve as food sanctuaries. A total of 30 units of
shallow payaos have been installed in target coastal
barangays, and are expected to boost fish catch in a
sustainable manner.
The provincial government also bought around 500
sets of small fishing gears and distributed them to
fishermen in Allen, San Isidro, Bobon, Lavezares,
Catarman, and San Jose.
Provincial Research and Extension Center in-charge Carlos A beneficiary fisherman installs a payao in
Ursua explains to farmers how to propagate sweet corn and Luz San Isidro, Northern Samar.
calamansi during a beneficiaries’ training at the PREC.
 Figure 6. Northern Samar Rice Production and Rice Deficiency, 1994-2008 (in metric tons)
RESULTS
While the PGNS investments are significant, the
collaboration of the different stakeholders remains a key
factor in achieving the desired results in all target areas.

In 2009, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS)

data (Figure 6) showed that our province’s rice shortage
was significantly reduced from an average of more than
21,000 metric tons (MT) from 1994-2001 to 5,418 MT in
2008. Figure 6 shows that the declining rice shortage is
attributed to the dramatic increase in rice production in
2008, which reached 60,604 MT.

Livelihood
Northern Samar’s increasing unemployment rate from 5.9 percent
in 2000 to 8.8 percent in 2001 caused alarm to the new administration of
Governor Daza. The number of unemployed persons in 2000 was
56,000, with women composing the bigger percentage, as learned
during the 2001 Poverty Summit he had convened.

Governor Daza’s definition of poverty

is simply the lack of money, without which
people could not buy food to eat, send their
children to school, avail of health services,
and enjoy other amenities. He believes that
empowering people starts with creating
opportunities that would enable them to
sustain their income, and would eventually
make them consumers of goods and
services, especially education.

PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS and gained international recognition through the

To develop the economic and social security of its
constituents, PGNS spent around P30 million in livelihood
programs and projects between 2002 and 2009.
Northern Samar Coalition Against Poverty (NSCAP)
The Northern Samar Coalition Against Poverty
(NSCAP) is a microfinance initiative of Governor Daza
launched in 2004. It is patterned after the world-renowned
Grameen bank approach, which originated in Bangladesh
prestigious international Nobel prize awarded professor
Muhammad Yunus, its founder. The Grameen replication
in Northern Samar started with a series of scoping
activities including the Unified Microfinance Workshop
(2001), a microfinance training at the Center for
Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD), Laguna
(2002), creation of the Northern Samar Microfinance
Council (2002), and an AusAID-sponsored study visit to
Bangladesh (2004). Governor Daza joined the visit and
immersed in its activities in Bangladesh for one week.

28
 Livelihood
To buffer the
microfinance facility
from political patronage,
Governor Daza led the
formation of the
Northern Samar
Coalition Against
Poverty Foundation
(NSCAPF) in 2003. The
foundation started its
operation in 2004 with a
P19 million soft loan
accessed by Governor
Daza from the national
government.
To cope with the clients’ increasing capital
demand, NSCAPF entered into a memorandum of
agreement with Fundacion Grameen Pilipinas, Inc (FGP)
in June 2008 for an additional capital infusion of P18.5
Table 2. NSCAP Performance, 2004 and 2009
PERFORMANCE
INDICATOR
No. of clients served
Barangays out-
reached
Municipalities cov-
ered
Loans portfolio
Total assets
No. of branches
No. of staff
million and transfer of management to it. The facility now
reaches out to more poor women in the barangays, with
improved systems and client-oriented staff. Through the
joint efforts of Governor Daza and Representative Paul
Daza, NSCAP clients had also availed of hospital
assistance through free Philhealth insurance coverage.
NSCAP’s five-year operation has earned its
reputation as a real pro-poor loan program - a 1.6 percent
monthly interest, without collateral, and with an affordable
weekly amortization. It has liberated poor women from the
loan sharks who charge 20 percent (also known as ‘five-
six’) monthly interest in addition to service and other
A baker benefits from NSCAP’s microfinance
charges. Its tremendous financial growth and service
program.
expansion are shown on Tables 2 and 3.
Industry Building
Coconut, abaca, rice and pili are among Northern
Samar’s dominant agricultural products. Yet the lack of
added value to these products deprives farmer producers
of additional income and limits these products’ potential to
AS OF AS OF become market-competitive.
OCTOBER NOVEMBER GROWTH RATE
26, 2004 30, 2009 Through Executive Order No. 3, series of 2009,
154 11,744 75 times increase;
Governor Daza created focal groups on coconut, abaca,
annual average of
15 times rice, pili, and handicraft that will study the province’s
3 386 43 times increase; comparative advantage with these products. The
annual average of 9
times
governor sits as convenor of all these groups with a co-
2 20 9 times increase; convenor from lead partner government agencies or
annual average of 2 NGOs in each group.
times
P616,000 P68,900,00 111 times increase; Handicraft Project
0 annual average of
22 times
The Focal Group-Handicraft, together with the
P3,000,000 P86,600,00 28 times increase;
0 annual average of 6 Provincial Livelihood and Development Office (PLDO),
times conducted an inventory of different indigenous materials
1 11 10 times increase;
annual average of 2
times
4 53 12 times increase;
annual average of 2
times

Table 3. NSCAP Services and Number of Clients Served,

2004 and 2009
AS OF OCTOBER AS OF NOVEMBER
SERVICE
26, 2004 30, 2009
Loan program 154 11,744
Capital build-up (savings 154 11,744
deposit)
Mabunga Bulig Asenso (special 10,719
savings)
PhilHealth insurance 5,114
A resource person from the Cora Cares Foundation demonstrates how to make
Higher education loan 88 quality handbags during the Trainors’ Training in Bulacan attended by trainors from
program Northern samar.

29

available in the province, including the major products of
abaca, coconut and pili. The inventory showed that the
province has sufficient locally-sourced supply of raw
materials for native handbags, which led to the launching
of the ‘Northern Samar Handicraft Project’.
Cora
Jacob, an
internationally-
known handbag
designer and
exporter, visited
Northern Samar
upon learning of
the province’s
Governor Daza looks on the handbags made by local
abundance in
weavers during a handbag-making training at PLDO.
indigenous
handbag materials. She discussed with the Focal Group-
Handicraft and PLDO arrangements to organize
handicraft trainings for women. Five individuals were sent
to the Cora Jacob Foundation in Bulacan for a month-
long training in handbag making from 23 March to 25
April 2009. Four of the five trainees chosen came from
the private sector as Governor Daza believes that
business is the turf of the private sector.
Subsequent echo trainings by these five trained
individuals followed in Northern Samar in: (1) Product
Development Training for Weavers, 26 participants; (2)
Product Standardization Machine Operation & Dyeing
Techniques, 29 participants; and (3) Skills Enhancement
Training for Mat Weavers conducted in the Municipalities
of Las Navas, San Antonio, Allen, San Roque, Victoria
and San Isidro, total 105 participants.
Some of those who have undergone the handicraft
trainings are now into the handbag-making business and
employ local weavers.
Coconut Industry Development
PGNS organized the First Provincial Coconut
Summit on 3 April 2008, in partnership with the Coconut
Industry Investment Fund (CIIF) through Director Wilmar
Lucero. The activity was attended by more than 200
coconut farmers from all over the province and brought
about the creation of the Northern Samar Coconut
Industry Development Council (NSCIDC).
The council aimed to promote the coconut industry
and unify efforts towards its development. The governor
sits as council chairperson, while Edgar Dones of Eastern
Livelihood
Visayas Partnership for Rural Development (EVPRD)
representing the NGOs, sits as vice chairperson.
NSCIDC has prompted activities such as the
Coconut Stakeholders’ Day (16-18 June 2008), Techno-
Demo on Coconut Sugar Processing, and training on
Integrated Coconut Processing (virgin coconut oil,
coconut water, buko pie, and others). The NSCIDC also
drafted the ‘Northern Samar Coconut Development
Framework for Civil Society Organizations and Local
Government Cooperation’, which was adopted by the
Sangguniang Panlalawigan as Resolution No. 21, series
of 2009. The framework now serves as the province’s
Coconut Industry Development Roadmap.
Skills Training
More than 2,000 individuals, mostly women, have
acquired skills on candle making, sewing craft, baking
and cake decoration, and others through PLDO’s various
livelihood skills
trainings in the
past five years.
PLDO is the
merged
department of the
former Women’s
Training Center
(WTC) and
Technology and
Livelihood Women make cakes as part of the free baking training
sponsored by the provincial government at the
Development
Capitol’s Women’s Training Center.
Center (TLDC).
The Northern Samar Public Employment Service
Office (NS-PESO), which was named as Outstanding
Provincial Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in
Region VIII last 2008 by the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE), also partnered with Global School
for Technological Studies in conducting technical
trainings on Personal Computer (PC) Operations and
Cellular Phone Repair/Servicing as well as Career
Guidance and Employment Counseling, job fairs and
employability enhancement trainings.
Pasalubong Center
In 2009, Governor Daza opened a Pasalubong
Center in front of the Catarman Airport Terminal. The
project came out of the governor’s intention to dignify
vendors who wish to sell their products to airport
passengers, guests and tourists.
30
 The center showcases quality products made by
local entrepreneurs ranging from native delicacies such as
pili candies, piñato (a delicacy made of puffed rice,
peanuts and sugar syrup), nilatikan (glutinous rice in
cocomilk), rice puto seco, bottled tuna fish, and crabs, to
virgin coconut oil and coco vinegar products. Souvenir
handicraft items such as quality bags made of indigenous
materials and home decors are also available.

The provincial government works closely with the

Customers find for native tokens and delicacies at the Pasalubong Center located
across the Airport Terminal in Catarman.
Association of Northern Samar Producers (ANSP) for the
sustainable operation of the Pasalubong Center. The
proposed area for another pasalubong center to be
established at the Allen Seaport Terminal is under
negotiations.

Education

A product of the public school system,

Governor Daza believes that ‘Education is
the ultimate equalizer in a democratic
society; It is the best measure of
achievement for all, whether rich or poor.’
While education is commonly thought to
be the sole concern of the Department of
Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher
Education, academic institutions, and
schools, Governor Daza felt the compelling
need to face the challenge of education
development in Northern Samar by
including it in his flagship program,
FLESHER. Governor Daza urges Lope de Vega National High School students to learn information technology in order to be
globally competitive. The school received computer equipment from DepEd Secretary Florencio Abad.

The increasing enrolment in 2001, when Governor PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

Daza was just starting his first term in office, carried with
it many challenges in the basic education (BE) sector.
Activation of the Provincial School Board
Chronic shortage of schools, inadequacy in the number of
teachers, and the low rating in the National Achievement The governor lost no time in convening the
Test, which showed that Northern Samar was weakest in members of the Provincial School Board, which he
the priority subjects of mathematics, science, and English co-chairs with the DepEd Schools Division
indicated the declining education system in the province. Superintendent Thelma Quitalig. Because there is no
department in PGNS that handles education concerns, he
DepEd also has agricultural-industrial and technical-
looked to the school board as the venue to discuss
vocational curricula in 40 high schools in the province, yet
pressing education issues. Northern Samar is the only
it had no marked difference with the basic education (BE)
province in Region 8, and probably one of the few in the
curriculum. Graduates from these schools who cannot
country, whose school board meets at least once a
afford college or university education often ended up
month.
unemployed for lack of any special skills training.

31
 Education
safety of students and cleanliness of school premises.

School facilities improvement

The water and sanitation (WATSAN) facilities of

Governor Daza discusses with members of the Provincial School Board measures to
improve the performance of children in school.
Province-paid teachers and teacher extension positions
To deal with the teacher shortage problem
immediately, Governor Daza and the PSB hired additional
teachers paid from the Provincial Special Education Fund
(SEF). Also, through Governor Daza’s ties with President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and DepEd Secretary Florencio
Abad, Northern Samar was allocated extension positions
for teachers and principals. Table 4 shows the total
number of extension positions obtained by Governor
Daza.
Aside from having more students taught, a less
obvious but substantial outcome brought by the 797
newly-hired teachers is the infusion of capital into the
local economy through the teachers’ salaries. At P10,000
monthly salary, these employed teachers have brought in
a total of P300 million approximately.
schools caught the governor’s attention in 2005 when he
found out that of the 63 high schools in the province, 18
did not have any WATSAN facilities at all. Governor Daza
issued a policy that future installations must always
provide for both water and sanitation. UNICEF, at the
request of the governor, granted P4 million for the
construction of school WATSAN facilities, and US Peace
Corps provided technical assistance. The Peace and
Equity Foundation, through the Nortehanon Access
Center, also gave a P3 million grant, while P2.5 million
was accessed from Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s
Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), all for the
same purpose.
School repairs and other facilities improvement also
utilized the SEF, and sometimes the Economic
Development Fund (EDF) of the province. Between 2001
and 2009, P24.47 million went to the improvement of
school facilities and equipment. PGNS also partnered
with UNICEF for school building construction with
WATSAN facilities amounting to P2.4 million.

Table 4. Number of Teacher Extension Positions Accessed,

2001-2009 (Source: DepEd)

Year Elementary Secondary Total

2001 28 8 36
2002 56 16 72
2003 27 16 43
2004 16 30 46
2005 12 23 35
2006 40 30 70
Governor Daza turns over to DepEd officials the high school building constructed
2007 55 54 109 in Bgy. Galutan, Catarman .
2008 10 0 10
2009 189 187 376
TOTAL 433 364 797 Strengthening Implementation of Visayas Education

The province also hires personnel whenever AusAID saw through Governor Daza’s commitment
schools express their need. Security guards or watchmen to education. In 2007, the Strengthening Implementation
and utility workers are assigned to the different of Visayas Education (STRIVE) project was launched in
elementary and secondary schools to help maintain the Northern Samar. The project aims to assist DepEd in

32
 Education
Governor Daza gives a message during the unveiling ceremonies of the Basilio Chan
Memorial Agricultural and Industrial School in Lavezares on 2 February 2003.
improving the performance of school students in
mathematics, science, and English and to provide basic
education and/or livelihood opportunities for out-of-school
youth and their families.
The project’s components included strengthening
education leadership and management capacity;
enhancing the capacity of pre and in-service teacher
training, particularly for improving the teaching of
mathematics, science and English; supporting the
adaptation, development, production and distribution of
appropriate mathematics, science, English and other
teaching/learning materials to schools; and assisting the
delivery of basic education programs to retrieve out of
school children and provide functional literacy and
livelihood opportunities for out of school youth and their
families.
Other support to Education
In March 2009, Sangguniang Panlalawigan
Ordinance No. 4, series of 2009, authorized the provincial
government to give cash incentives to elementary and
secondary students who garner awards in regional and
national academic competitions.
PGNS has established the Provincial Education
Assistance Program (PEAP) to provide support through
scholarships for underprivileged but deserving
students. Every year, five (5) students per municipality
avail free tuition and miscellaneous fees. A total of
P2.65 million had been allocated for this program since
2002.
Students who wanted to earn money during
summer breaks in preparation for school also availed
from the Special Program for Employment of Students
33
Governor Daza and Laoang Mayor Madeleine Ong accept the new school building
at Rawis, Laoang from representatives of the donor, the Chinese Chamber Leyte
Chapter, Tacloban.
(SPES), which was allocated a total of almost P2 million.
RESULTS
In 2003 and 2004, Lope de Vega National High
School topped the NAT for two years in a row, with an
average score of 86.67 (against the national average of
44.6 percent). This achievement put Northern Samar at
the center of the country’s attention. DepEd, the
Philippine Business for Social Progress, Microsoft
Philippines, and Smart Communications Inc worked
together and linked the school to the internet via satellite.
In the same year, five (5) other schools excelled in
the NAT test: Alegria National High School, Bobon School
for Philippine Craftsmen, Catarman National High School,
Galutan National High School, and Victoria National High
School.
For SY 2008-09, Northern Samar already topped
the elementary net enrolment ratio in Region 8 at 87.4
percent (NSCB). The total number of high schools also
increased from 58 in 2004-05 to 66 in 2008-09.
DepEd Northern
Samar schools
Division
Superintendent
Thelma Quitalig
awards
Governor Daza a
plaque of
recognition for
his support to
the education
 Shelter

Shelter is a universally
identified basic human need
that confronts mostly the
landless and poor families. In
development, the type of
dwelling and tenurial security
are socioeconomic indicators

Photo: Conrado G. de la Cruz Jr.

that imply the household
occupants’ degree of protection
and security, and possibility of
displacement.

Table 5 shows that in the 2000 Census, 1,078 PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
(94,410 - 93,332) families in Northern Samar had no
dwelling units. Of the 93,332 who had dwelling units, 21% GK Partnership
or 19,559 households did not have tenurial security to PGNS entered into partnership with Gawad
their dwelling units, another report revealed. This situation Kalinga (GK) in building low-cost houses for the poor in
also carries correlated issues of double occupancy and Northern Samar. Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution
high dependency ratio. No. 68, series of 2004 accredited the Gawad Kalinga
Community Development Foundation, Inc as a member of
Table 5. Occupied Housing Units, Number of Households and Households
per Occupied Housing Units by Type of Building in Northern Samar
the Provincial Development Council (PDC). On 15
(Source: 2000 Census, NSO) October 2005, the ‘LGU-GK Summit’ formally launched
Type of Building Occupied Number of the partnership between GK and the provincial
Housing Units Households government.
Northern Samar 93,332 94,410
Single House 90,616 91,648
GK is an internationally recognized NGO under its
Duplex 1,098 1,127 Executive Director Antonio Meloto, who was conferred
Multi-unit Residential 267 273 the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership
Commercial Industrial/ in 2006.
Agricultural 58 59
Institutional Living Quarters 25 25 GK ‘Saving You Village’ in Bgy. Daganas,
Other Housing Units 5 5 Catarman was the pilot project of GK in Northern Samar.
Not Reported 1,263 1,273
As in the GK model, labor was provided by volunteers
and the intended beneficiaries. Sponsors donated
Governor Daza took a proactive approach to the
housing problem in Northern Samar when he assumed
office in 2001. Although socialized housing is a mandate
of the municipal LGUs under R.A. 7279 (Urban
Development and Housing Act), the governor included
Shelter in his flagship program, FLESHER.
He formed a new office, Provincial Land Use and
Management Office (PLUMO), to take charge of housing
(shelter).

Governor Daza delivers his message during the

LGU-GK Summit held on October 15, 2005 at
the Capitol Building, Catarman.

34
 Shelter
Governor Daza cuts the ceremonial ribbon to inaugurate the
GK Saving You Village in Catarman. GK Executive Director
Antonio Meloto and land donor Thelma Singzon assisted.
materials to build 10 duplexes of two units, totaling 20
units for 20 families. PGNS contributed P1 million for the
project. The GK beneficiaries were chosen by an
independent committee from the homeless poor of
Catarman.
After building the 20 housing units, PGNS
continued to assist the site development such as the
construction of access and concrete roads within the site,
drainage system, and installation of water and power
systems. Now, the ‘GK Saving You Village’ has a total of
about 58 housing units.
With the success of the ‘GK Saving You Village’,
PGNS entered into memoranda of understanding with six
other LGUs to establish GK Villages in their
municipalities, namely; Bobon, Mondragon, San Isidro,
Allen, and San Roque. Governor Daza looks forward to
the completion of the GK villages in these municipalities.
Capitol Housing Project
The Capitol Housing Project was conceived when
Governor Daza discovered that most of the provincial
government employees do not own the houses they live
in. He brought the National Housing Authority (NHA) to a
joint undertaking in the land development of the project
site.
Governor Daza and Engr. Virgilio Dacalos of the National
Housing Authority shake hands after jointly unveiling the
marker for the Capitol Housing Project
35
Governor Daza turns over the symbolic key to
housing beneficiary couple, Aldrin and Liza Sayde,
during the awarding and turnover of provincial
government-funded houses in ‘GK Saving You
Village’ in Bgy Daganas, Catarman
The ‘GK Saving You Village’ in Bgy. Daganas, Catarman
The Capitol
Housing Project has
an area of 4.7 hectares located in Bgy. Galutan,
Catarman. NHA acquired the lot through Governor Daza’s
countryside development fund when he was still a
member of the House of Representatives. Soon after he
assumed as governor in 2001, he negotiated with NHA to
donate the land to the provincial government.
The site has already been subdivided into 282
housing lots. Governor Daza ensured that the housing
project has basic support infrastructure like drainage,
concrete roads and alleys. Power lines and water system
will be installed this 2010.
At present, about 100 PGNS employees have
availed of the housing project through contracts to sell.
The Provincial Land Use and Management Office
(PLUMO) facilitates the loan applications for lot
acquisition of the beneficiaries with the Pag-IBIG Fund.
Community Mortgage Program
PLUMO also helped organize three (3) poor
community groups in Bgys. Bangkerohan, Macagtas and
Ipil-ipil in Catarman. These groups of informal settlers
were formed into homeowners associations or
cooperatives under the Community Mortgage Program.
The Capitol Housing Project located in Bgy. Galutan, Catarman has the required infrastructure support.
 Health
When health services were
devolved to the province in 1991,
many were optimistic that it would
enhance healthcare delivery at the
local level. Ten years passed, but the
health profile of Northern Samar had
not significantly improved as of 2001.
The prevalence rate of malnutrition
remained high. Common causes of
mortality and morbidity were
pneumonia, tuberculosis and other
respiratory diseases while lifestyle-
related diseases contributed to the
rising mortality. Water-borne
diseases such as schistosomiasis and
diarrhea also persisted.

In the early part of his administration, Governor Daza
declared Northern Samar a pro-life province. His stand is
based not only on moral grounds, but also on economic
and social ones. This he arrived at after due analysis and
reflection.
Government hospitals, with their poor and
inadequate facilities had the primary burden of health
service delivery. There was also lack of access to safe
water and sanitation facilities, no blood bank and no health
insurance for the poor. Public health workers were poorly
paid.
There were governance-related issues as well, such
as limited financial resources, lack of knowledge on
hospital financial management and reporting, inept
hospital administrative management, inefficient health
information, and faulty procurement and logistics
management.
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
In response to these health issues, Governor Daza
came up with a comprehensive healthcare program which
addressed both the preventive and curative aspects of
health.
Hospital Facilities and Services
Healthcare services are primarily delivered by the
provincial government through its network of hospitals:
the provincial hospital in Catarman and eight (8) district
hospitals located in Laoang, Catubig, Gamay, Allen, Biri,
Capul, San Vicente, and San Antonio. Since devolution,
the provincial government has taken over the maintenance
and daily hospital operations cost of all nine hospitals,
allocating year after year extra fund for improvements and
repairs. Since 2001, it has spent no less than P58 million
pesos for hospital facility improvements and medical
equipment excluding the cost of personnel services and
other operational expenditures. In 2007 alone, P11.3
million went for the improvement of district hospitals.
Northern Samar Provincial Hospital. The Northern
Samar Provincial Hospital, a secondary hospital, has been
rendering outpatient consultations, in-patient services in
pediatrics, internal medicine, OB-gynecology, emergency
and elective surgery, dentistry, optometry, radiology and
physical therapy. It has maintained a clinical laboratory,
water testing laboratory, pharmacy and blood bank, in
addition to its operating room, delivery room, and
emergency room. It operates both free and private wards.
For quality healthcare delivery, Governor Daza has
recruited competent staff to man the provincial hospital.
The departmentalized services in internal medicine,
surgery, pediatrics and OB-gyne are presently headed by
medical specialists who hold diplomates or are fellows in
their respective sub-specialties. The Laboratory
Department has a trained physician who has undergone
four years Residency Training in the Department of
Pathology and Laboratories, and has a diplomate from the
Philippine Society of Pathologists. Governor Daza has
also hired 174 nursing personnel for all its hospitals, along
with medical technologists, other medical personnel,
administrative staff and casual employees.

36
 Health
Its 144 actual bed capacity, beyond its authorized
bed capacity of 100, has enabled NSPH to cater to its
in-patients,
many of whom
are from RHU
referrals and
from other
hospitals and
clinics.
Infirmary.
Unlike other
government
hospitals in the The hallway leading to the infirmary ward at NSPH
region, NSPH, through Governor Daza’s initiative, installed
an infirmary ward for the free and exclusive hospitalization
of provincial government employees, both regular and
casual, including their dependents.
Nursing Affiliates’ Base. NSPH serves as base
hospital for the nursing affiliates of the University of
Eastern Philippines College of Nursing, Colegio de San
Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila and the Eastern Visayas Central
Colleges. This arrangement enables nursing students to
gain practical knowledge and experience.
Hospital Upgrading. The rapid advancement in
medical science and technology and the increasing
demand for health services due to the increase in
population prompted Governor Daza to work for the
upgrading of the provincial hospital into the tertiary care
level. This requires installation of additional
infrastructures, facilities and equipment, and manpower
support.
To complement the provincial government’s limited
financial resources, Governor Daza lobbied for national
government support which got him in 2008 a P13 million
funding for the NSPH upgrading. Before June 30 of this
year, Governor Daza expects the provincial hospital to be
equipped with more modern facilities, with wards
renovated and infrastructures improved.
With the crafting of the Provincial Investment Plan for
Health (PIPH), Governor Daza ensured alignment of
hospital improvements and management actions to
achieve the goal of upgrading first the NSPH and
afterwards, the district hospitals. Included are the
construction of a building annex for laundry and carpentry;
rehabilitation of the fire protection system through the
installation of sprinkler system, extinguishers, hydrants
and alarms; expansion of the hospital building for
37
additional 12 private rooms, and relocation of the isolation
room; improvement of the blood bank facility and water
system; and the procurement of additional medical and
non-medical equipment.
Health Personnel Benefits
In recognition of their dedicated hospital work,
Governor Daza, in 2008, increased the subsistence
allowance of health personnel to P1,500 and laundry
allowance to P150 per month or a 100% compliance of the
Magna Carta of Public Health Workers subsistence and
laundry allowance requirement. Meanwhile, in 2009, the
provincial government paid 20% of the required hazard
pay of public health workers, increasing it to 40% at the
opening of 2010.
Barangay Health Workers and Barangay Health Stations
Since he assumed the provincial chief executive seat
in 2001, Governor Daza has maintained more than 2,500
barangay health workers (BHWs) to assist in the delivery
of basic healthcare services in the barangay level. During
his incumbency, he increased the incentives of BHWs
from P50 to P150 a month to promote health workers’
efficiency in the monitoring of the nutritional status of
children, vaccine administration, nutrition education, health
awareness campaigns and other basic healthcare service
delivery. Starting January 2010, BHW incentives were
further increased to P300.
To enhance the program, Governor Daza required all
BHWs to undergo revalidation, discontinuing the services
of inactive health workers. Those retained were re-trained
for updating of their knowledge and skills in first aid,
prevention and management of simple illnesses and other
basic health information.
The provincial government also authorized the
construction of barangay health stations in the province,
allocating more than P2 million in 2004 alone.
Medical and Dental Missions
In the last nine years, the provincial government has
also worked with charitable institutions, and local and
international organizations, in the conduct of medical and
dental missions. Aside from the use of hospital facilities,
it has deployed medical personnel and staff in the various
medical missions conducted in the province. The Medical
and Dental Mission of St. Luke’s Medical Center last
January 24-30, 2009 has recorded 80 eye operations
performed at the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital,

Barangay health workers listen to Governor Daza speak Governor Daza witnesses elderly patients examined
about the provincial government’s health program during by eye experts of a free medical-surgical mission
a recent distribution of BHW incentives at the Capitol. conducted at the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital. of the provincial government and First District Rep. Paul Daza.
more than 1,000 dental patients served in Lavezares, and
a significant number of major operations at the Allen
District Hospital.
The provincial government, through the Provincial
Health Office (PHO) and NSPH, also extended assistance
to the People’s Government Mobile Action (PGMA)
Medical and Dental Mission held on 17-19 March 2009 in
Catubig, San Roque, Rosario San Jose and Catarman. A
total of 4,085 medical and 942 dental patients were served
by the mission.
Other medical and dental missions in collaboration
with the provincial government were the Caravan of Social
Services organized by the Office of the Ombudsman-
Visayas on 8 July 2009 where more than 1,000 availed of
free medical treatment and 300 of dental treatment;
Medical and Dental Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) on 4-
5 December 2008, which rendered dental and
circumcision services in Bgy. Malobago and Coroconog,
San Roque; National Kidney Transplant Institute Medical,
Surgical and Dental Mission on 19-22 May 2006; and the
75-person contingent of the Philippine-Minnesotan Medical
Association Medical and Dental Mission in 2006 in three
locations: Northern Samar Provincial Hospital, Allen
District Hospital and G.B. Tan Memorial Hospital (Laoang).
Some of these missions performed also free minor and
major surgical procedures.
Health Insurance for the Poor
To give every Nortehanon, especially the poor,
access to hospital care services, the provincial
government devised a health-insurance-for-the-poor-
program, targeting 60,000 families or 85% of the province’
s indigent population. As of December 2009, 57,195
families have already been enrolled by Governor Daza
and Representative Paul Daza in Philhealth. This program
allowed beneficiary-enrollees to access hospital treatment,
Health
Philhealth beneficiaries receive insurance cards from
Governor Daza under the Philhealth Para sa Masa program
laboratory procedures, medicines and hospitalization in
any Philhealth-accredited hospital or medical facility in the
country.
The initiative has sent waves of good reviews from
the top management of Philhealth, which cited PGNS
through Governor Daza as Best Employer in the province
for the government sector on 24 February 2009. In 2009
also, Philhealth recognized Northern Samar as one of the
‘Elite 21’ provinces to have attained universal coverage.
Water and Sanitation
Underscoring Governor Daza’s commitment to
address the water and sanitation problem of the province,
the provincial government convened the Sangguniang
Bayan and Sangguniang Panlalawigan Health Committee
chairpersons and planning officers from the 24 towns as
well as representatives of national government agencies,
academe, business sector, NGOs and POs for the First
Provincial Water and Sanitation Summit on 16 March 2009
at the Capitol.
The event led to the organization of the Provincial
Water and Sanitation Council, tasked to periodically review
the water and sanitation situation of the province,
recommend policies on water and sanitation, and
coordinate with other agencies on environmental
protection.
In her keynote address on the occasion, UNICEF
Country Representative Vanessa Tobin appreciated the
strong leadership of Governor Daza and thanked him as
well for his support to UNICEF’s programs.
Governor Daza, has long partnered with UNICEF,
municipal LGUs, Department of Education, PACAP, and
the PTCAs, in the implementation of water and sanitation
projects.
38
 Health
Governor Daza, UNICEF focal officer Augusto Rodriguez and DepEd schools division superintendent Thelma
Quitalig open the newly constructed toilet with water facility in Cawayan Integrated School, Catarman, one of
the water and sanitation projects of the provincial government in partnership with UNICEF, DepEd and the
PTCA.

PACAP Northern Samar project coordinator Lourdes

Olmedo inspects with Governor Daza the newly
completed water system project in San Jose, prior to
its turn-over to the barangay.

These include 6 units of deep well projects in blood-letting campaigns initially at the Provincial Capitol,
Poblacion, Gamay; 2 units of deep well in Bgy. Look, San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila school, Catarman PNP
Lapinig; elevated water tank in Bgy. Mabini, Lapinig; 2 Station and Camp Sumoroy of the Philippine Army, and
well in Bgy. Tarusan, Laoang; water supply system in later extended to the other areas of Northern Samar. This
Bobon Provincial Jail; water supply facility in Galutan produced a collection of 1,210 blood units in 2008,
National High School; and rehabilitation of the Somoroy exceeding the blood bank’s target of 670 units per year.
Water System in Palapag. Blood collection increased to 1,368 units in 2009 following
16 blood-letting advocacy campaigns in different parts of
The provincial government, jointly with UNICEF, has
the province and registered 237 new voluntary donors
also completed the following water and sanitation
which included professionals, national and local
programs:
government employees, students and private citizens.
 Community water supply facilities in Bgy. Jangtud,
Palapag, Bgy. San Agustin, Lavezares and Lifestyle-related Diseases Control Program
Makiwalo Integrated School, Mondragon The provincial government also invested in a
lifestyle-related diseases control program focused on the
 Toilets with water facility in Potong National High
School, Lapinig; Bantayan National High School, The blood refrigerator where
San Roque; Cawayan Integrated School, Catarman; blood collected is stored.
Silvino Lubos Vocational School, Silvino Lubos; San
Isidro Agro-Insductrial School, San Isidro; Jangtud
Integrated School, Palapag; Bobon Central
Elementary School, Bobon; and Libas Elem. School,
Lavezares
 School toilets in Pangpang Integrated School,
Palapag; Buenavista National High School, Rosario;
The Blood
Cabatuan National High School, Palapag; and Bgy. Collecting Unit
San Agustin, Lavezares periodically
conducts mass
Blood Bank blood-letting
provincewide.
In response to the increasing incidence of AIDS and Blood bank
other transmissible diseases resulting from unsafe blood staff extracts
samples from
transfusion, Governor Daza established the blood on blood
collecting unit, also known as the provincial blood bank, in donations
and conducts
the Provincial Health Office. screening for
hepatitis, HIV
He supported an intensified campaign for voluntary and other
transmissible
blood donations through blood program orientations and diseases.

39

prevention and control of life-style related ailments such
as cancer, diabetes, cardio-vascular disease,
hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or
TB, and asthma. The program widely promoted healthy
and disciplined lifestyle of no smoking, no alcohol, no
drugs, proper nutrition, exercises and stress
management. Advocacy and health education
campaigns were made during diabetes month
celebrations in July of each year, heart month program in
February and lung month in August.
In 2009, Governor Daza approved the conduct of
healthy lifestyle trainings where 76 RHU personnel and
school nurses from the 24 towns of the province
participated. The program included the establishment of
healthy lifestyle clinics in the RHUs, with 20 lifestyle
clinics organized at the close of 2009. It also distributed
80 CD copies of the DOH-produced ‘Hataw ‘ exercises to
the RHUs, PGNS offices, NSPH and the 8 district
hospitals of the province.
The provincial government’s TB program, in
cooperation with the Department of Health, has provided
the necessary facility and medical personnel for the
examination and treatment of patients. Likewise, its anti-
dengue campaign, also in coordination with DOH, has
made possible the monitoring, treatment and fumigation
of dengue-positive areas to destroy breeding sites.
During the recent swine flu threat, Governor Daza
instructed a massive information campaign and the
monitoring of suspected cases of the deadly virus in the
province.
In addition to its disease prevention efforts, the
provincial government through its designated program
Provincial Health Office staff dance the healthy lifestyle ‘Hataw’ exercises as part
of their advocacy on the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases.
Health
coordinator also aided diabetics in managing their day-to-
day health. Through the Northern Samar Provincial
Diabetics Association organized in 2003, it assisted in the
regular monitoring of the members’ fasting blood sugar
(FBS), blood pressure and cholesterol levels and
distributed maintenance medicines. As of 2009, it has
recorded around 350 active members.
Nutrition Program
Governor Daza, in a move to reduce malnutrition in
the province, allocated a total of P5 million for the
program in the last three years. This helped intensify
nutrition education in the 24 towns, conduct of mothers’
literacy classes, 90-day feeding program for pre-school
children in nutritionally-depressed barangays, and greater
advocacy campaign for LGUs’ support to nutrition
program management. He also took in more barangay
nutrition scholars (BNS) to support the provincial
government’s nutrition activities in the barangay.
Northern Samar was recently declared by NNC as 2nd
best performing province in Region 8 in its Monitoring and
Evaluation on Local Level Plan implementation (MELLPI)
award for 2009.
Country Program for Children – Health Component
Through the Country Program for Children (CPC), a
partnership project with UNICEF, the provincial
government has engaged in extended program on
immunization (EPI), vitamin A supplementation to
mothers and children, supplementary feedings in the
barangays, and conduct of trainings for basic child care
and management of early childhood illnesses. Health
personnel conduct trainings for obstetrics care to reduce
maternal mortality.
Governor Daza administers vitamin A to a child during the Libreng Bakuna and
Vitamin A supplementation program at the Capitol which promotes immunization,
breastfeeding and food supplementation of children. The program is jointly
sponsored by DOH and UNICEF.
40
 Environment

Northern Samar’s beautiful and rich

environment is being threatened. In 2001,
Governor Daza immediately saw the unsystematic
collection of solid wastes, called ‘hakot-tambak,’
which were disposed into open dumpsites. Despite
Northern Samar being declared a part of the Samar
Island Natural Park (SINP), logging and slash-and-
burn activities continued to despoil our forests.
Coastal resources were declining. ‘Kinis’ or mud
crablets the size of matchboxes are rampantly
poached for other provinces. Various economic and
livelihood activities, unregulated use, and the rapid
increase of resource users altogether put a strain
on our limited natural resources. Governor Daza
took appropriate and urgent steps against A member of the Luisita Upland Farmers’ Association
environmental destruction. plants a tree in Bgy. Luisita, Victoria, N. Samar where 6
hectares of forestland is being rehabilitated by the group.

Being largely an agricultural economy, the province
also feels the threat of climate change, which is expected
to have greater impact on agricultural economies. The
governor just knew that Environment had to be included
in his priority programs.
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
system. The province generates approximately 278,452
kgs. of daily waste. To solve the waste disposal problem,
the Provincial Solid Waste Management Board (PSWMB)
was organized with the governor as chairperson.
Northern Samar was the first province in the country to
champion the ‘zero-waste’ model of solid waste
management (SWM).

Creation of the Provincial Government Environment and Northern Samar is also the first province in the
Natural Resources Office country to formulate a 10-year Comprehensive Solid
Waste Management Plan, which outlines the future
To enable the provincial government to focus on ecological solid waste initiatives of the province from year
the province’s sustainable environmental conservation, 2008 to year 2017. The plan was formulated and
Governor Daza issued Executive Order No. 13 on 13 endorsed by the PSWMB on 11 December 2007,
August 2006 creating the Provincial Government reviewed by the Department of Environment and Natural
Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO).
With the establishment of PGENRO, the provincial
government got an arm that would focus on
The Capul
environmental concerns such as solid waste Agro-
management, forest resource management, coastal Industrial
School
resource management, biodiversity and protected area Material
management, and small-scale mining and mines-related Recovery
Facility was
concerns. In just a span of more than three years, the adjudged
PGENRO has made significant achievements for champion
in the
sustainable ecosystems. Search for
Waste-Free
Ecological Solid Waste Management Program School.

Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste

Management Act of 2001) prohibits open dumpsites.
Yet municipal LGUs were all practicing the ‘hakot-tambak’

41
 ENVIRONMENT Environment

Governor Daza, with

former Mayor
Francisco Rosales and
other local officials,
inspects a proposed
dump site. The
province has been
providing support for
the development of
Catarman’s dumpsite.

Bgy. Chairman of Cababto-an, Pambujan receives from Governor Daza

a shredder machine under the Small Fund Assistance Program of the
provincial government

Resources-Environment Management Bureau (DENR-
EMB) Region 8, and approved by the National Solid
Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) in 2009.
Ecological Solid Waste Management (ESWM) is
piloted in the municipality of Mondragon. Prior to the
piloting, PGENRO conducted waste analysis and
characterization study and facilitated the formulation of
barangay ESWM operational plans to 18 barangays. The
municipal solid waste management operational and
action plans were augmented by the creation of the
municipal solid waste management boards (MSWMB).
Seventeen (17) municipalities have MSWMBs and 12
have municipal solid waste management plans. To
expand the ESWM implementation, the province has
initiated eco-police deputation seminars in the
municipalities of Catarman, Mondragon, Palapag, and
Gamay.
PGNS has also conducted searches for waste-free
barangays and school champions in 2007 and 2008 in
partnership with DepEd-Northern Samar Division, Mother
Earth Foundation, and municipal LGUs. In 2009, the
provincial government launched the Green Ibabao Zero-
Waste Award (GIZA) to enhance SWM advocacy in the
municipal and barangay levels.
PGENRO continuously provides LGUs with ESWM
technical assistance through trainings and seminars,
waste analysis characterization survey, and IEC
materials.
Health care wastes
In 2008, PGENRO partnered with the international
NGO, Health Care Without Harm (HCWM), which advises
on health waste issues. Northern Samar was the first
province to mainstream health waste concerns with
municipal solid waste management programs. It ensures
that health care wastes which are classified as
hazardous, infectious, and toxic (HIT) are confined only
within health care facilities. Five district hospitals (Allen,
San Antonio, Gamay, Laoang, and Catubig) have availed
of needle crushers from HCWM.
Because of the lethal effects of mercury on humans
and the environment, PGENRO has also teamed up with
HCWM in conducting environmental health fora in the
province, advocating against the use of thermometers,
sphygmomanometers, and other health care gadgets that
contain mercury. Mercury spill kits were also provided to
the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital and San Vicente
District Hospital.
Coastal Resources Management Program
Coastal resources management protects and
manages the living and non-living components in the
coastal areas in a sustainable manner. “The coastal
environment as an open-access resource should be
protected from wanton use and exploitation,” is Governor
Daza’s burning call to Nortehanons towards sustainable
use of natural resources.
PGENRO partnered with different agencies to
revitalize the Biri-Lavezares-Rosario-San Jose (Biri-
LAROSA) protected landscape-seascape. The Biri-
LAROSA Protected Area Management Board (PAMB)
members drafted the general management and eco-
tourism business plans of the area to ensure that the
present state of these protected areas will not be
compromised. PAMB Biri-LAROSA has 58 members from
local and national government agencies (PGENRO,
Provincial Agriculture Office, Provincial Tourism Office,

42
 Environment
Bureau of Fish and Aquatic Resources, and Department
of Environment and Natural Resources), barangay local
governments (Biri-8, Lavezares-14, San Jose-8, and
Rosario-8), non-government organizations (KPSI, SPPI,
CERD, and TROWEL), and people’s organizations
(SAMPCA and YES-MOVE).
With PGNS assistance, three fish sanctuaries have
been declared. The Cabaungon Grande in San Jose,
Sangputan in Rosario, and Hirapsan in Mondragon.
These were found abounding with corals, which serve as
carbon sinks. The provincial government allotted
P280,000 for fish sanctuaries maintenance. PGENRO
also initiated the reconstitution and deputization of Bantay-
Dagat and Bantay-Baybay Dagat task forces in the
municipalities of Biri, Lavezares, Rosario, and San Jose,
in coordination with BFAR. An ordinance was also
enacted which bans the poaching of less than matchbox-
sized crabs.
PGENRO also spearheaded coastal clean-ups in
different municipalities coinciding with the Annual
International Coastal Clean-up in September.
San Vicente residents participate during the September 2008 International Coastal
Clean-up.
Forest Resource Management
Aside from raw materials for economic activities,
the forest ecosystem provides carbon sinks, impelling
Governor Daza to call for the “sustained and consolidated
efforts to protect our environment not only for the present
generation but also for all generations to come.”
Towards this end, the province had been working
closely with DENR and supported the implementation of
43
the ‘Catubig Watershed Rehabilitation Project’. It has
likewise endorsed the planting of pili in erosion-prone and
watershed areas in Allen and Lavezares with funding
assistance from PACAP, in collaboration with NGOs and
POs.
The provincial government of Northern Samar
sponsored the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP) to
become a ‘legislative protected area,’ a United Nations
Development Program (UNDP)-assisted project that aims
to preserve the remaining forests in Samar Island.
In order to regenerate the once denuded areas,
four community-based partners received assistance from
the provincial government for its Community-Based
Forest Management (CBFM): Luisita Upland Farmers
Association (LUFA) of Bgy. Luisita, Victoria; Samahan ng
Magsasaka sa Palanit of Bgy, San Isidro; Cervantes
Farmers Association of Bgy. Cervantes, Catarman; and
Bgy. Cablangan, Mondragon. To date, 42.6 hectares in
the province have been reforested. PGENRO also
initiated the planting of 20,000 tree species in Bgy.
Luisita, Victoria and Bgy. Palanit, San Isidro, as well as
distributed thousands of fruit trees (lanzones, rambutan,
calamansi, and pili) and indigenous tree species (narra,
apitong, lawaan, almaciga) in the four CBFM partner
beneficiaries.
Climate change
Climate change has become a global issue that has
not spared even our province. The greenhouse effect, or
increase in global temperatures brought about by waste
gases, is expected to cause changes in global air and
ocean circulation patterns, which in turn will alter climates
in different regions of the world.
As the provincial government’s proactive response,
PGENRO has been linked with local and international
partners for the establishment of a ‘provincial sovereign
forest’ that would become the province’s carbon sink.
Seven hundred thirty-three (733) hectares of protected
forests is being worked out with the municipalities of
Victoria (329 hectares), Catarman (200 hectares), and
San Isidro (104 hectares). To safeguard these forests, the
provincial government, in coordination with the
Environmental Laws Advisory Council (ELAC), conducted
an orientation-seminar on Protection Forest in CBFM
areas for the deputation of 32 Bantay-Gubat groups in
Victoria (4), Palanit (6), Cervantes (2), Mondragon (6),
and province (14).

land development and improvements, and manual tax assessment.
When Governor Daza assumed office in 2001, he
faced the realities of local government financial resource
constraints. In an effort to methodically work the province
out of full dependence on IRA, Governor Daza created
the Revenue Generation Group (RGG) through Executive
Order No. 11, series of 2004. The group, composed of
Local Finance Committee (LFC) members and other
revenue-contributing departments, was an expanded
LFC. In addition to LFC-mandated functions such as
forecasting collections for the budget year and estimating
revenues and receipts to support proposed budgets,
RGG was tasked to source out new revenue policies and
measures, and institute new tax collection schemes for
improved efficiency.
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
Capacity development for Revenue Generation Group
members
The RGG might have been filled with enthusiasm to
commence their work, but its members realized that they
did not know how and where to start. In 2004, RGG
members were sent on a study tour to the provincial
governments of Bulacan, Batangas, and Albay, three of
the top LGU performers in the area of revenue
generation, to learn from their experiences. A follow-up
training program, ‘Strengthening the Provincial
Government’s Financial Governance through an
Institutionalized Revenue Generation Program’ was
conducted by the Philippines-Australia Human Resource
Development Facility (PAHRDF) in 2006.
The training produced, among others, the 2006
Provincial Fiscal Plan, which served as RGG’s first
Revenue Generation
Local government units were
bestowed with tax collection powers
by the Local Government Code of
1991. Yet many LGUs have not fully
exercised this authority to their
advantage. In 2001, Northern Samar’s
98% dependence on the Internal
Revenue Allotment (IRA) manifested in
its inability to generate local income,
brought by the lack of a revenue
generation program, an outdated
revenue code, poor record- keeping,
obsolete tax maps that do not reveal
roadmap towards achieving objectives along revenue
collection increases and enhanced tax collection
efficiency. Priority programs included in the plan were the
revision of the Omnibus Revenue Code, the adoption of
the electronic Real Property Tax System (eRPTS) and
the development of information systems (IS) that support
revenue generation, such as Geographic Information
System (GIS).
PAHRDF trainees, including past RGG chair Leisser Africa and
incumbent chair Allan Valenciano confer with the head of the
enterprise department of the Provincial Government of Bulacan
on product packaging and labeling.
Policy formulation
The enactment of the Northern Samar Omnibus
Revenue Code through Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP)
Ordinance No. 23, series of 2005, approved by Governor
Daza on 11 January 2006, was considered as a major
breakthrough by RGG members, who set to motion the
crafting of the code. Prior to the Code’s revision, the
province was deprived of income that could have been
collected from new sources and services, as well as
44
 Revenue Generation
increments arising from the effects of inflation and price
increases.
Later the Implementing Rules and Regulations were
passed through SP Ordinance No. 1, series of 2006. With
the authority provided by the code, PGNS has been able
to collect taxes and fees from sand and gravel, cockpit
arena operators, passenger ports, as well as rent from
PGNS properties. Notable increases in Real Property Tax
(RPT) collections paved the way for increases in the
Special Education Fund (SEF), which helps finance the
Education program of Governor Daza under the
FLESHER agenda.
The 2005 Omnibus Revenue Code is being
reviewed and amended.
Tax-mapping
Tax mapping is an inventory of real properties to
identify property owners and boundaries and eliminate
tax records inconsistent with field data, non-existent real
property units (RPUs), and double assessments, all of
which could result in bloated tax base and uncollected
real property taxes. Moreover, tax maps establish a
systematic property records system that is easily adapted
to data computerization or eRPTS.
Out of the province’s 24 municipalities, only 16
were mapped under the USAID-funded Local
Development Assistance Program – Real Property Tax
Administration (LDAP-RPTA) project implemented by the
Department of Finance (DOF) in 1993. RGG reinvigorated
the tax mapping activities of the seven (7) remaining
municipalities by entering into memoranda of agreement
with these municipal LGUs. The MOA stipulates that
PGNS will provide 50 percent of the tax mappers’ wages,
Eduardo Custorio, assistant department head of the
Provincial Assessor’s Office, leads the parcillary mapping
activities.
45
tax mapping forms, and technical assistance.
Electronic Real Property Tax System
The electronic Real Property Tax System (eRPTS)
was designed to provide efficient, accurate and
transparent processing of assessment and collection of
real property taxes. As soon as the system was deployed
by the National Computer Center, Governor Raul Daza
did not waste time adopting it.
In 2007, PGNS allotted P4.66 million to commence
the implementation of the eRPTS program with the
objective of improving tax administration. The Provincial
Assessor’s Office validates the data that encoders input
from the cleansed Field Appraisal and Assessment
Sheets (FAAS) into the eRPTS database.
When project monitoring revealed that the rate of
encoding was slow, Governor Daza approved RGG’s
recommendation to pay data encoders per FAAS inputted
into the eRPTS database. The new payment scheme
propelled the rate of encoding and in a span of five
months, the encoding achieved a 50 percent
accomplishment, or 63,300 out of the 125,000 total
number of FAAS. Completion of the database build-up is
expected before the second quarter of 2010.
The provincial government also advocates the
adoption of eRPTS by municipalities in order to unify the
municipal and provincial tax records, assessment and
collection. Municipalities with completed RPU database or
eRPTS-ready include Lavezares, Rosario, Allen, San
Jose and Pambujan. PGNS extended technical and
financial assistance to Lope de Vega for the deployment
of the system in 2009.
Partnership with municipal treasurers and assessors
Real property taxes (RPT) compose 71 percent of
our local taxes, shown by Figure 7, which is why PGNS
Encoders input data
from the cleansed
Field Appraisal and
Assessment Sheets
(FAAS) into the
eRPTS database
under the
supervision of
Emmanuel Tafalla,
project coordinator
from the Provincial
Assessor’s Office.

needs the cooperation and partnership of barangay and
municipal LGUs. In recognition of the role of the municipal
treasurer’s office, the provincial government awards
plaques of recognition and P5,000 cash incentives to high
performing treasurers who attain a collection efficiency of
65% on the current year and 35% on the collectible
amount from prior years.
Figure 7. Sources of Local Taxes, 1997-2008 (Source: COA )
Revenue Generation
properties from 2003-2007 on condition that real property
owners pay their five-year tax delinquency in lump sum.
Delinquent real properties are put up for auction if remain
unpaid.
RESULTS
The effectiveness of the revenue generation
strategies adopted by the RGG is captured in the
dramatic increases in local revenues that average P5.3
million annually. In real property tax collection alone, the
P1.29 million collected in 2001 became P4 million in 2008
(Figure 8).

Percentage increases in the local revenue collection

could not keep up with the percentage increases in IRA,
which is why IRA dependence went down only by as
much as 5%. However the upward trend in local revenue
collection (Figure 9) shows that the program’s
sustainability looks promising.

Figure 8. Real Property Tax Collection, Northern Samar, 1997-2008

(Source: COA)

PGNS also agreed through a MOA with municipal

mayors for the conduct of tax mapping activities in the
remaining seven (7) unmapped municipalities. The
municipal assessors lead the organization of tax mapping
teams that are composed of locals who are familiar with
the municipalities’ terrains. Orientations and trainings to
the tax mapping teams, tax mapping forms, 50 percent of
taxmappers’ wages, and project monitoring are provided
by the provincial government.

Municipal LGUs have also organized their municipal

revenue generation groups (MRGGs) to synchronize with
the provincial RGG’s operational plans. Six of these Figure 9. Trends in Local Revenue Collection and Percentage of Local
Revenue to IRA, Northern Samar, 1997-2008 (Source: COA)
MRGGs are functional as reported during the 2010
Provincial Local Revenue Generation Action Planning,
which was participated by the municipal treasurers and
assessors. The RGG intends to assist the revitalization of
14 non-functional MRGGs.

One-time tax relief

When the RGG found out that tax delinquent

accounts have accumulated to P92 million since 1995,
the RGG caused the passage of Sangguniang
Panlalawigan Ordinance No. 13, series of 2007, or the
‘One-Time Tax Relief’. This civil remedy provides for the
condonation of interests and surcharges of unpaid real

46
 THE CHALLENGES AHEAD
“I want to see Northern Samar walk without crutches’”, said Governor Daza when
he saw the empowering effect of the PAHRDF capacity development trainings.
During his watch, Governor Daza has achieved significant improvements in
governance as well as in poverty reduction.
The major challenge of his successors is to remain on the road that leads to the
vision for Northern Samar. Whoever succeeds him this year or in future ones should
see the merits and benefits of what he has started and sustain and improve on them.
To ensure that the gains in governance are sustained, it is important to continue
along the area of human resource development the capacity building activities of the
Provincial Training Pool, maintain if not improve on the Level II accreditation accorded
by the Civil Service Commission, and support the performance management and
personnel discipline systems. Human resource management that includes career path
development, employees’ welfare and benefits, and adherence to the service pledges
stated in the Citizen’s Charter must be improved.
In financial management, the use of manuals such as the Provincial Planning, Implementation and Monitoring
Manual, Internal Control Systems Manual and Toolkit, office business systems, as well as the interdepartmental
coordination and common key result areas approach must continue for the easy and harmonized flow of provincial
government transactions and program/project implementation. Bottlenecks in the procurement process must also
be reviewed vis-à-vis the requirements of project implementation and service delivery.
The healthy culture of internal coordination has enabled PGNS to strengthen its partnerships with municipal
LGUs, civil society organizations, national agencies, and the academe. Participatory governance and convergence
deserves a more pronounced presence of the business sector in provincial development efforts, especially in
industry formation.
Information systems (IS) development must continue. The Management Information Systems Office must
update its directions and organizational structure to provide for smooth operations. The IT Skills Training Center
must extend its IT skills training to external clients, particularly in enhancing the constituents’ employment
opportunities through improved skills on information technology.
Disaster risk management must be mainstreamed into the Provincial Development and Physical Framework
Plan. The Provincial Disaster Management Unit’s capability for partnership with all stakeholders must be
strengthened to match disaster response requirements. Part of the enabling mechanism is to provide ample
manpower and organizational support.
Infrastructure is key to development. An arterial road system that connects the municipalities in the inner part
of the province to the coastal municipalities will create the desired internal mobility of goods and services. The
ongoing Lope de Vega-San Isidro road construction and the proposed road links of Lope de Vega-Silvino Lubos
and Silvino Lubos-Las Navas-Lapinig will complete the provincial road network. Critical farm to market roads,
particularly those that connect production areas to the market, will spur community economies and reduce urban
concentration. Schools and health facilities will also become accessible. The development of the renewable local
energy sources, as well as the construction of the Pinipisakan Falls hydropower plant in Las Navas, will make the
province energy independent and self-sufficient.
The 2006 Poverty Statistics released by NSCB in 2008, which ranked Northern Samar as the 7th poorest
province in the country dampened the provincial government’s spirit for a moment. After some reflection and with
stronger resolve, PGNS chose to maintain its FLESHER program. When UNDP released the 2008 Philippine
Human Development Report rating Northern Samar’s HDI at 0.493 as of 2006 and ranking the province 11th
poorest, the provincial government was assured that Northern Samar had achieved an encouraging improvement.

47
 Photo: Conrado G. de la Cruz Jr.
On poverty alleviation, the challenges swell along service delivery points or at the community level. In the
agriculture sector, to complement the efforts of PGNS and government agencies who work doubly hard to increase
rice production towards self sufficiency, farmers must be ready to adopt new technologies such as using hand
tractors, paddy dikes and high yielding rice varieties.
In the area of livelihood and employment, the province must create an investment-friendly climate to
complement the approved Provincial Investment Code. The industry formation that has been started for the
province’s major products, rice, abaca, coconut and pili, must be carried to the farmer-producer level. The
sustainability of community-based economic enterprises will depend much on the farmers’ paradigm shift to farmer-
entrepreneurs.
The commitment of the Provincial School Board to advance basic education in the province can be further
spread by involving other education stakeholders in the process. DepEd, as the lead national agency on basic
education, can strengthen the link between national priorities and the local education landscape. The University of
Eastern Philippines can also dovetail its programs, particularly on agriculture development, with provincial
development priorities.
The Capitol Housing Project and GK-partnered low cost housing must be continued and replicated in
communities where there are pronounced needs, such as those in typhoon, landslide, and flood prone areas.
In the health sector, the full implementation of the Inter Local Health Zone (ILHZ), which builds up the
preventive aspect of health management within identified health zones, will eventually lessen the burden on
hospital systems. There is also a need to advocate health care programs and systems that are community-based,
such as proper nutrition, to move away from the persisting mindset that relies on the government, and start
cultivating the people’s responsibility for their own wellbeing.
Environmental programs that need to be sustained include Ecological Solid Waste Management, Forest
Management through reforestation projects, and Coastal Resource Management through strengthening the Bantay
Dagat teams. Given these functions of the environment office, creating it into a department will provide the
organizational backbone for its operations.
Aside from sustaining local revenue generation, the provincial and municipal Revenue Generation Groups
need to be institutionalized. Given the number of the provincial government’s revenue generating units, the
creation of a department that will oversee PGNS economic enterprises is in line.
-oOo-
Editorial Staff

48
 By the year 2013, Northern Samar shall be a progressive province
with an agri-industrial economy actively managed
and sustained by empowered people
enjoying economic security, respecting their own culture
and living in peace with dignity
in an ecologically balanced environment.

The Provincial Government of Northern Samar shall provide

the necessary leadership and create the appropriate
environment conducive to growth and development
by mobilizing and harnessing each resource
to ensure the realization of its vision
for the Nortehanons.

HIMNO SAN NORTEHANON

Music: Bonifacio S. Durens
Lyrics: Raul A. Daza

Kita an mga Nortehanon,

Nga sadto anay mga Ibabaonon,
Tugob kita sin paglaom
San kanan Diyos gahum.

Pagsarayo, pagburutok kita!

Kabubuwason kaptan ta!
Amay, iroy, bata ug arog
Sa kahulop dire magpadaog!

Mga tulin kita ni Sumoroy

Ug sayo la tuna nga iroy.
Natuo kita san kagawasan
Ug hingyap an kauswagan.

Pagsarayo, pagburutok kita!

Kabubuwason kaptan ta!
Amay, iroy, bata ug arog
Sa kahulop dire magpadaog!
Amay, iroy, bata ug arog
Sa kahulop dire magpadaog!