Sta. Ana Mayor wants to donate land for DHVSU extension campus
ACTION MAN. Sta. Ana, Pampanga Mayor Ferdinand “Dinan” Labung delivers his first SOMA.
By Joey Pavia
STA. ANA, Pampanga – Mayor Ferdinand “Dinan” Labung said he is willing to donate land for the planned extension campus of Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU), citing his mission and vision of providing free, quality college education to the youth of the municipality.
Labung made the announcement in an interview shortly after delivering his first State of the Municipality Address (SOMA) on July 6 in front of the municipal hall.
“I can donate at least 5,000 square meters of land because it is my wish to have a DHVSU extension campus in our beloved town,” Labung said.
“I just need the support of the national government and other agencies to make this dream for our youth a reality,” he added.
DHVSU already has extension campuses in several municipalities, including Lubao and Apalit.
Earlier, Labung donated a 1.2-hectare property in Barangay San Bartolome, where a Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) Center is currently being constructed.
The facility is a joint project of the Department of Health (DOH), Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital (JBLMGH), the Pampanga provincial government, and the municipal government of Sta. Ana. It will serve as an extension of JBLMGH to help decongest the DOH-managed regional hospital while expanding healthcare services to nearby towns.
The provincial government allotted P15 million for the site’s development, while the DOH allocated P34,999,998.71 for the construction of the BUCAS Center, which will offer outpatient consultations, urgent and emergency care, laboratory services, and access to medical specialists.
Labung also announced the construction of a Geriatric Center on the same property.
He said the BUCAS Center is expected to become operational before the end of the year.
Meanwhile, in his SOMA, Labung said initiatives such as the Ease of Doing Business program and the “Bawal ang SOP, I-report kay Mayor” policy have improved public service delivery and strengthened investor confidence. As a result, more than 100 businesses have opened in the municipality, he said.
“Naniniwala po ako na kapag walang corrupt, walang mahirap. Alam naman ng lahat na hindi ako isinilang at lumaki dito, pero nagpunta ako dito para magserbisyo. Kaya wala sa akin ang personal na interes. Ang pera ng bayan ay para sa tao at sa mga programang dapat ipatupad para sa kanila,” Labung said.
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