Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, in his New Year’s message, highlighted the gains and awards of the Negros Occidental provincial government in 2021 despite having to battle with the COVID-19 pandemic and natural calamities.
The governor delivered his New Year’s message before the provincial government employees at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City after a thanksgiving mass on Monday, January 3.
“The year 2021 started with the flooding of Northern Negros Occidental and ended with Typhoon Odette badly hitting Southern Negros Occidental. All these happened while we are in the course of battling a pandemic,” Lacson pointed out.
But despite the previous year’s precariousness, the provincial government won one international award, seven national awards, and eighteen regional awards, he said.
The international award was won by the Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center (NOLITC) that was the champion in the Iron Cup 2021 International Virtual Robotics Competition, he said.
The seven national awards were the:
*GalingPook 2021 award for Network of Alliances for Coastal Wetlands Conservation;
*Three STAR Awards conferred by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority on the NOLITC;
*Top Employer from the Government Sector award given by Pag-ibigFund HDMF;
*Top Government Sector Employer in the Visayas award given by Pag-ibig Fund HDMF;
*Safety Seal Award from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG);
*Anti-Drug Abuse Council Performance Audit Award from the DILG; and the
*Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital award as the top performing hospital in Rapid TB Diagnostic Laboratory in the Philippines.
Negros Occidental still ranks first in swine, caravan, goat, broiler, and layer production in Western Visayas, Lacson also said.
An about 276.63 percent increase in hog shipments was recorded by the provincial veterinarian compared to the same period last year, he added.*