OPINION: "STATE-OF-THE-CITY ADDRESS, ITS IMPLICATIONS TO PUBLIC SERVICE"
By: RC MONTEBON In Zamboanga City (Si Tiene Pasencia, Tiene Gracia)

A State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) has been a traditional expression of accomplishments by a head of state for the interest of the public or the nation. While, a President is mandated to deliver his or her presidential speech in the House of Representatives witnessed by lone district congressmen, senators, governors, mayors, and other public officials, including various sectors of society, a State-of-the-City Address (SOCA), State-of-the-Province Address (SOPA), and/or other official messages/speeches with the presence of various leaders of a society, on the other aspect is also doing the same mandate.

Doing such mandate or responsibility for public service is a noble expression of what has been accomplished by a public official in a particular situation. Like a head of an office, he or she is to report his or her accomplishments by monthly, quarterly, and/or annually basis. The principle involved in here is to have a grasp of list of information in terms of accomplishments, and to likewise assess the accomplishments based on the desired target/s vs. output/s, goal/s, and/or priority/ies of a particular government sector for public dissemination purpose/s and for the public to measure the weight of the services being delivered in exchange of the taxes paid by the public.

To situate this writer’s story on this year 2007 SOCA of the Chief Executive of the City Government of Zamboanga, in the person of Honorable Mayor Celso L. Lobregat, first and foremost, he started the day of his SOCA by setting the right tone/mood of the environment and the people listening in his city message/address at the newly-constructed edifice of the Honorable Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod here in Zamboanga City.

The SOCA of the mayor appropriately suits the timing of the day and the way the SOCA venue being arranged as well as the occasion itself, as there was no untoward interference or problem that had happened during the conduct of the event. Accommodating guests, visitors, and other spectators were well-facilitated making them comfortable in listening the SOCA. This shows only manifestation of strong leadership value in the organization.

Although the mayor responded candidly to criticisms against his administration while mentioning in his SOCA his positive accomplishments last 2006, and his on-going project implementations this year 2007, all things went smoothly. Thanks God.

The SOCA of the mayor this year continuously calling for Unity and Continuity in Public Service among our people and communities in Zamboanga City. He describes Unity as unionizing and harmonizing the relationship between the Zamboangueños and the City Government of Zamboanga to achieve quality lives. While Continuity, he describes it as the participation and support of Zamboangueños to all the undertakings of Zamboanga City Government in pursuing/meeting its mandated goals and objectives, vision, mission, and development directions.

The mayor was very objective in his SOCA as he firmly begins by mentioning the important aspect of his administration, which is the budget situation of the city. His budget report was presented with factual basis and in a detailed manner, as his report was supported with statistics like figures, numbers, and other information relating to a particular project accomplishment. The nice thing regarding the mayor’s report is the use of recent information technology to reach out the expectation, interest, and attention of a crowd. And this is through a computer power-point presentation.

The mayor also reported the good increase of Zamboanga City’s taxable assessed value of real properties, including the good standing of treasury/collection of city’s revenues. Other aspects of his report were also tacked such as, the services in health, social welfare, housing and resettlement, education, and sports that were respectively and effectively delivered by his administration.

The respective functions and services of various departments/offices of his administration, such as the City Human Resource Management Office, City Planning and Development Coordination Office, City Agriculture and Fishery Office, City Veterinary Services Office, City Environment and Natural Resources Office, City General Services Office, City Administration Services Office, City Tourism Office, Barangay Government and Development Services Offices, and City Council were also part of the mayor’s report. He also stressed out the Donations and Assistance, he received from various partners of his administration, particularly the foreign and private sector assisted-fund projects. He likewise mentioned how peace and order and public safety was administered in the city.

All these developmental activities of the city, according to Mayor Lobregat’s SOCA brings good tidings, goodwill to the welfare of every Zamboangueño’s lives, as he strongly emphasized the good results of the implementation of his projects since he took the reign of Zamboanga City Government that makes improve the social and economic well-being of his patronage constituents.

The mayor as a human being and sensitive to issues concerning reality versus fantasy in government/public service, accepted the challenge with candidness and positive mood, and treated his opponents in politics calmly but with accountability and authority just to ease/preempt or cool off possible occurrence of tensions in the session hall of Zamboanga City Council.

An overwhelming standing ovation was given to the mayor by the audience in the gallery of the Zamboanga City’s SP Complex for a job well-performed under his terms of office.

On the other hand, various interactions were voice-out by an ordinary individual person, groups of people, individual city councilor, and others were made based accordingly on further improving one person’s income and work productivity.

As to the comment, opinion, and suggestions of this writer based on the observation gathered form the public regarding the SOCA of Mayor Lobregat, it is a very impressive one as it manifest expression of Zamboanga City Government’s laudable accomplishments. It is likewise a direct, understandable, and detailed SOCA report.

However, it is suggested by this writer that hopefully the next SOCA of the mayor shall be done in a bigger space like the Zamboanga City Coliseum to allow/accommodate large number of people/audience, especially the students who are future leaders of our society/community, and who are the right people that should know how government works on them and how its affairs are being managed, and the other segments of our society, such as the agriculture, fishery, cooperative, and service sectors, and many others that played pivotal role in the transformation of our local economy.

It is also suggested that a SOCA report should be presented in a concise manner and in a bullet form wherein a presenter will just present the outlines of his or her report in order to shorten time resources and thus minimizes his/her talks, discussions, or readings for the audience to capture the interest of knowing the contents of the report. By doing so, the audience will definitely be encouraged and thus will give attention and time to internalize and evaluate the presented certain report for future improvements.

In solidarity and in the interest of service to the nation, we humbly and respectfully congratulate the successful SOCA of the mayor, and the never-ending and strong support of the City Councilors, Barangay Officials, Community Leaders, Private Individuals and other sectors to the programs of the City Government of Zamboanga.

To end this, this writer will always say, “Let’s Go for Unity, Cooperation, and Development” to face the challenging time.

Regarding the congressional city address or COCA of Hon. Congressman Erico Basilio “Erbie” A. Fabian during the SOCA of Mayor Celso Lobregat, it gives good impressions to public demand and service as it manifested his multifarious achievements under his congressional initiatives.

The good congressman of Zamboanga City emphasized in his report that to achieve something, a leader should be at service in perpetual motion in performing his/her duties and responsibilities.

Perpetual in motion means a desire or sincere commitment of a person or leader to deliver the best he/she could in the name of public interest.

Possessing this kind of work attitude in public service, makes a public official or servant to perpetually move in constant with time and resources to implement his/her activity. Thus, he/she shall make a difference or change, and or institute reforms in what he or she do or believe with plus factor of creativeness and quality in work performance in line with public service.

The good congressman delivered his congressional report or COCA fundamentally citing his various project accomplishments in perpetual motion akin to physical social, infrastructure, human development, and economic services.

This report of the good congressman symbolizes of an action-oriented character of a person or leader with a deep-seated consciousness and right working habits/values to public service.

As to this writer opinion, the congressional report or COCA of Hon. Cong. Erbie Fabian at the house of the legislators of the City Council of Zamboanga City Government is very impressive and professional. However, it is suggested by this writer as per observation gathered from the public that the report of the good congressman, if possible, should be separated from the SOCA report of the mayor to avoid distinction or comparison, who shall came out as the best or not.

This is because the SOCA report of the mayor is considered as the main event of the occasion. Separating the accomplishment report of the good congressman from the mayor’s report is considered as a best move in order to pave way for the public/audience to confine themselves on the basis of individual accomplishment report for properly analyzing or evaluating such accomplishment deliberation of a particular service/activity by a public officer/servant. Also, it is suggested that the report shall be done in a bigger area wherein a large number of people be in attendance and can carefully listen to such official activity.

It is further suggested that a report of a particular official should be concise, understandable to an ordinary person, specific using outlines and bullet presentation to minimize reading and shorten the use of time and resources, in a way to capture interest of the public/audience and also therefore encourage the public/audience to internalize and evaluate the presented certain accomplishment report for future improvements.