Cebu City Mayor and LCP National President Mike Rama led the signing of the Pledge of Commitment during the RenewHealth Launching on 3 May 2023 at Novotel Araneta in Quezon City.
Rama pledged to support the Buhay Ingatan Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) Program of the Department of the Interior and Local Government in expanding access to community-based drug rehabilitation (CBDR) services in the cities, helping persons who used drugs, people in recovery and their families obtain access to informal care, self-help or community-based rehabilitation to reduce or prevent drug dependence. “The 148 city members of the LCP fully support the RenewHealth project extended up to the grassroots and engaging the families, different organizations, and LGUs to build stronger families, stronger cities, and a stronger nation,” Rama added.
Rama along with LCP National Chairperson and Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez, National Vice Chairperson and Pagadian City Mayor Samuel Co, Deputy Secretary General for Visayas and Bago City Mayor Nicholas Yulo, Deputy Secretary General for Mindanao and Valencia City Mayor Azucena Huervas, Regional Representative for NCR and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, Regional Representative for CARAGA and Bayugan City Mayor Kirk Asis, Focal Mayor for International Cooperation and Meycauayan City Mayor Henry Villarica, Focal Mayor for Public-Private Partnership and Calapan City Mayor Marilou Morillo, and representatives from the cities of Palayan and Santa Rosa enjoined all local government officials and other Leagues in continuing the country’s fight against illegal drugs.
He underscored the importance of collective solutions and human-rights based approaches to curb the drug problems in the country. “Children [and people who use drugs] should not be treated as surrenderees, they are only victims of the ills of society and their own families. We in the government must address these problems, and we should start in our own households,” Rama said. The Department of Health also presented its Lusog-Isip mobile application in response to the growing need for mental health and substance abuse intervention.
On 4 May 2023, Rama presented the computerization efforts of the Office of Building Official in Cebu City during the Ease of Doing Business Forum at Widus Hotel in Clark, Pampanga.
He cited the benefits of the City’s electronic Office of the Building Official or eOBO, which allows digital end-to-end transactions and services, highly sustainable, efficient for public service delivery, and cost saving for Cebu City’s constituents. He also showcased the importance of maximizing information and communications technology to improve local governance and services.
National government agencies including the National Economic and Development Authority, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and the Department of Trade and Industry shared their strategic priorities and policies to foster digitalization and ease of doing business. #