Despite the numerous controversies involving the executive and legislative branches of the Laoag City government, Mayor Michael V. Fariñas was still thankful, not only to the Sangguniang Panlungsod but also to the people of Laoag for their support in attaining his goals and visions in his first year in office. In a press conference at the City Hall on June 30, the accomplishments of the neophyte mayor was unveiled among which included the increase of revenue collection to P2,779,762.60 from 2004 levels. Fariñas’ accomplishment in his first 365 days as mayor also included the repair of school building wherein a budget if P2,606,278.47 was budgeted; P5,002,200 was also used to rehabilitate city and barangay roads slope protection, bridges, school buildings, purchase of relief goods which were distributed to the victims of typhoon Igme last year; and the completion of concrete roads, drainage and installation of perimeter fences in various locations in Laoag City with the amount of P4,715,544.50. On top of these, the Fariñas administration was also able to complete 89 other infrastructure projects with a total amount of P14,749,049.13. With Fariñas on the helm, the city government was also able to procure several heavy equipments including a dump truck, a boom truck, three garbage compactors, a backhoe and a bulldozer for the City Engineer’s Office. The city government’s excise tax share was also used to purchase 20 units of water pumps and 410 bags of fertilizers used as soft loans to beneficiaries for the City Agriculture Office. For the tourism and social concerns office, a total of 124 beneficiaries had been given the self-employment assistance, 632 beneficiaries for the practical skills development, 308 beneficiaries for emergency assistance and 3,165 beneficiaries for special social services. The “Trabaho Mo Sagot Ko” project of Fariñas was also able to employ 155 Laoag City residents. For the health sector, the city government constructed five additional air-conditioned rooms at the Laoag City General Hospital, aside from the purchase of an x-ray machine and the provision of anesthesia and ultrasound amounting to P4.4 million. For the peace and order situation, five units of four-wheel drive vehicles were also purchased for the city Philippine National Police (PNP) to help maintain the peace and order situation in the city. Aside from these accomplishments, the city was also named in the national finals of the 2004 search for the most efficient and effective peace and order council of the Philippines. For his all-out support to the city PNP and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Fariñas was also given the Most Outstanding Mayor award by the PNP Regional Office and the Most Outstanding Chief Executive award by the BFP Regional Office. Dominic B. dela Cruz
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