City of Mati, Davao Oriental – With the ardent intention of really addressing the  needs of the constituents of Davao Oriental, particularly the second district, Congresswoman Thelma Z. Almario focuses on education, infrastructure development, and water system and intends to strengthen measures to accomplish the said goal.

Almario explained that the focus in education as part of the solution to the problems that Filipinos are experiencing today, is the commitment of the country to the Millineum Development Goals (MDG).

As such, Congresswoman Almario had been to places, far and wide, for the public consultation on the bill that she authored, making kindergarten as part of the basic education.

“We really need to prepare our children for the first level in school. Based on records, most of our children are not ready for Grade 1, and with the Kindergarten now made part of the basic education, it is designed to prepare them for the first grade. And I am grateful that my bill was recently approved by the Senate on second reading. There was just an amendment to the bill, and the amendment pertains to the language to be used in teaching the kindergarten  students. With the amendment, the mother tongue will be used in teaching Kindergarten,” she explained.

Equally important also is hiring the services of teachers specializing on kindergarten classes, and their corresponding salary.

Also, Almario is keen on the program on accelerating school buildings, repairing dilapidated ones, and constructing more classrooms.

Moreover, the local lawmaker is now working on the re-installation or the operation again of the City Schools Division of Mati.

Expectedly, the travail of the City Schools Division was then, not certain after the merry-go round decision of the Supreme Court on the cityhood struggle of the League of 16. The City Divison was dissolved and the staff find their way back home to the Dvo Oriental Schools Division.

Next to the priorities of the lawmaker is infrastructure development, where she just had received confirmation that 108 million pesos will be released in the next two weeks for the rehabilitation of the President Diosdado Macapagal National Highway, starting at the entry point of the province in Brgy. Pintatagan, municipality of Banaybanay.

“After the Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Nat’l Highway, we will veer toward the rehabilitation and cementing of secondary national highways in Gov. Generoso, and the highway connecting Brgy. Dahican and Brgy. Lawigan in the City of Mati, then later we can look into our flood control system,” she added.

Water system completes the top priorities of Congresswoman Almario as she adheres for the establishment of water consumers organizations.

In the City of Mati, there are already associations of water consumers, particularly in the urban barangays, like Magsaysay Waterworks Association, and Matiao Waterworks Association.

“But water service is not merely the supply of water. It has to be embedded with the education on the proper usage of water,” Almario stressed.

The district representative reiterates that in public service, a public servant has to see the need of the people to address the needs accordingly.